Formula One news

Delighted Vettel thanks British fans

Sebastian Vettel was overjoyed to have clinched victory in the British Grand Prix on Sunday afternoon, leading home Mark Webber to confirm the Red Bull Racing team's second one-two result of the season in its home Grand Prix. After a busy middle part of the race, Vettel cruised home after his final pit-stop to reduce the gap to Jenson Button in the standings.

Vettel's win at Silverstone confirmed a perfect weekend for the German, taking the chequered flag from pole position whilst setting the fastest lap on the way to doing so. "It's never easy. It's a long, long race," said the German after driving 60 laps of the 3.2 mile circuit. "It think everyone is enjoying it a lot - you have to stay focussed and keep your eyes open! In the first stint, I tried to make a gap, I knew I would benefit from it for the whole race. I had a fantastic race, the car was unbelievable. Very good tyres as well - very, very pleased!"

After a strong start and small chop in front of Barrichello, Sebastian had opened up a 17-second lead within as many laps, but was challenged most during the middle part of the race with back markers to contend with. "The second stint was not easy," he continued. "It was quite tricky; when you come from behind, they are fighting between themselves - it was anything but easy, I had a big gap (to second place) but I couldn't see. I was asking 'How is the pace? How are we doing?'. I think for the last ten laps I was counting every lap down; you could argue that the last ten laps were quite easy - it's fantastic, it shows we're heading in the right way. Bringing the car to where it is now is just fantastic. We improved, both of us - a step in the right direction."

After finishing his race in the Priory gravel trap with David Coulthard last year, 2009 is the best possible result for Vettel in Britain. "I also want to thank Silverstone," added the German, who described his team as having worked 'perfectly'. "When I looked left and right, the people were standing up and cheering - every single one in the grandstands I have to thank, the atmosphere was fantastic. It's kind of unreal now to think that I've won this race."

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