Sebastian Vettel remains unapologetic after insulting his rival Narain Karthikeyan.

The reigning world champion twice showed Indian Karthikeyan the middle finger in Malaysia recently, also describing the HRT driver as an “idiot” and “gherkin” following their on-track clash.

Karthikeyan hit back by calling the 24-year-old German “unprofessional” and a “crybaby”, amid suggestions Vettel did not display sporting values befitting a double world champion.

Indeed, when asked by Germany’s Sport Bild if he is a ‘bad loser’, Vettel replied: “It’s true, I can only lose badly.

“Why should I lie? If I could lose well, I would not be in formula one. I was disappointed.”

But the Red Bull driver also insists his outbursts should be taken in the context of the moment.

“So soon after the race, I feel like I should be honest rather than playing the ‘smiling boy’.

“Sometimes it takes ten minutes after finishing a race to return to normal, sometimes you need a night’s sleep to check things off and look ahead positively.

“When I put Jenson Button out of the race at Spa in 2010, I apologised to him the next day.”

So, Vettel is much more positive now.

“From a pure sporting perspective, I have more points now than I had at this point in 2010 when I won the championship. So I’m only looking forward,” he insisted.

Red Bull has hit back at claims the team lied about a technical problem in Malaysia in order to gain a tactical advantage for the forthcoming races.

Near the end of the Sepang race, Sebastian Vettel’s engineer repeatedly instructed the back-to-back world champion to retire his RB8 car.

Team boss Christian Horner said the brake temperatures had risen to a dangerous level, but Vettel nonetheless raced to the chequered flag and finished eleventh, one position out of the points.

Horner explained Vettel did not hear the radio calls due to a “lightening strike”, but photos prove that the German driver was also repeatedly shown pit boards with the same messages.

And the 24-year-old revealed after the race: “Of course you can save the car, but I wanted to see the chequered flag. I think that’s how it should be.”

Moreover, the authoritative Auto Motor und Sport quotes Vettel as confirming: “I heard the command.”

Red Bull has been accused in some media reports of feigning the brake problem in order to retire the car for tactical reasons and therefore install a fresh gearbox for China next month without penalty.

Dr Helmut Marko told Bild newspaper: “After the crash (with Narain Karthikeyan), the temperature of the brakes rose far above the allowed level.

“We called him in purely because the car was no longer safe. It was not a tactical decision,” the Austrian insisted.

It is reported that Vettel will sit with his team bosses this week in Milton-Keynes to discuss the apparently ignored team order.

German racing legend Hans-Joachim Stuck said: “Another driver would be fired, but Vettel has the confidence of being a double world champion.”

According to Welt newspaper, Swiss commentator Marc Surer added: “It was the right decision by Vettel, as the team needs to be careful with commands like that.”

 Sebastien Buemi has revealed surprise and disappointment with Toro Rosso’s reaction, after the Italian team performed a clean sweep of its driver lineup for 2012.
The Swiss and his teammate Jaime Alguersuari were given their marching orders just before Christmas, leaving the aforementioned Spaniard without a role this season.

Buemi has at least kept his F1 career alive with the Red Bull reserve role, but the 23-year-old has expressed disappointment with comments made recently by his former team boss Franz Tost.

“Of course I would prefer to race for myself,” he told the Blick newspaper, “but maybe this new role is the opportunity of my life.”

At the same time, he takes issue with Austrian Tost, who is appointed to head Red Bull’s rookie team Toro Rosso.

He said recently: “We are talking about a double world championship-winning team (Red Bull), which means that drivers who get elevated there must have the ability to win races and championships.

“And it was from that perspective that second thoughts set in when it came to Sebastien Buemi and Jaime Alguersuari,” said Tost.

Buemi responded: “After we were put out, Alguersuari and I said not a single bad word about Toro Rosso, we were always loyal.

“So I am amazed that from the boss there comes suddenly such negative comments.”

He may share a garage with the reigning double world champion, but Mark Webber will still have an equal chance to win in 2012.
That is the news of Red Bull’s low-profile mogul Dietrich Mateschitz, who made a rare visit to a formula one paddock this week at Jerez.

Asked if Sebastian Vettel’s Australian teammate will have equal status this season, the Austrian billionaire insisted: “Absolutely.

“Both get the same equipment,” he told Salzburger Nachrichten newspaper.

“The only change is that Mark has a new chief mechanic.”

Mateschitz, 67, said the obvious target for Red Bull in 2012 is to win again.

“We really have no choice except to defend our two world titles,” he insisted.

“Also Toro Rosso will have to improve; the team should be in the midfield and fighting for fifth place with Force India, Sauber and Lotus.”

 Most Germans think Sebastian Vettel will break his countryman Michael Schumacher’s record of seven world titles.
At 24, Vettel is already F1′s youngest ever double world champion, and he is signed up with the dominant Red Bull team for at least the next three seasons.

SID news agency commissioned the German market research company Promit to carry out a survey as to whether respondents think Vettel will one day be a record eight-time title winner.

59.5 per cent answered yes, with 24.6pc believing 42-year-old Schumacher’s now seven-year record will forever remain unbroken.

 The interest in Ferrari’s 2012 front wing in Korea left Fernando Alonso annoyed.
“I think it’s to do with the team, not the journalists,” La Gazzetta dello Sport quotes the Spaniard as saying in Korea, where his 150 Italia was fitted with the radical new wing.

Media reports analysed in detail the difference between the new and old wing and its performance in Korea relative to the regular specification driven by Alonso’s teammate Felipe Massa.

“As I’ve said before, in these last four races we need to learn a lot about 2012,” Alonso said. “Gaining or losing a tenth is a very low priority at the end of this season compared to finding the direction for next year’s car.

“We are working with a specific goal that is not easy for you (reporters) to understand,” he added.

“I do not think the readers are interested to get up in the morning and read about three or four points of downforce, certain diameters — I think they want to know who is fourth or fifth or whether you are working for the grand prix or the next year.

“The details seem very superficial to me.”

On the radio towards the end of Sunday’s Korean grand prix, Alonso was heard to tell his team “I give up” — a call rarely heard from the double world champion.

Alonso insists his focus is on what will make the 2012 season better.

“I will come to work (in 2011) to gain experience for the things for next year,” he is quoted by AS sports newspaper. “We can try some experimental parts and also (experiment with) how to deal with the weekends.”

The 30-year-old is currently third in the drivers’ championship.

“If we can get one tenth (for the 2012 car) from the information and yet finish fifth in the championship, I would sign it now,” insisted Alonso.

“No one expects us to come to India and have the pole and the win. Expect us to be fourth or fifth in qualifying and third, fourth or fifth in the race,” he said.

Fernando Alonso has played down not only Lewis Hamilton’s recent struggles, but also Sebastian Vettel’s unprecedented success.

“I think Hamilton is not doing so poorly, or that Vettel is going to win seven titles in a row,” the Ferrari driver told EFE news agency in Korea.

Spaniard Alonso, now overtaken by Vettel as F1′s youngest ever double world champion, baulked at claims the Red Bull driver’s success is “not fair”.

“No, no. It’s always fair,” he smiled.

“What happens is that it is always more and more, whether you succeed or fail. When things go well it becomes easier, and when it goes wrong it gets harder.

“This is a sport with a lot of publicity and a race every 15 days,” added Alonso.

“Everyone thought that when I won the two titles I would win a few more in a row but I did not. Then Hamilton came a point within the championship in his first season, he won the second and he looked like he was going to win 10.

“Then it looked like it would be the decade of the Brawn (team) but they won only once, and Red Bull has won two in a row with a phenomenal job but we will see what happens next year,” he said.

Stefano Domenicali on Tuesday said he can imagine Fernando Alonso working alongside F1′s new double world champion Sebastian Vettel.
“Would Alonso accept it? I think so, I think it could work. Fernando’s strength is that he is not afraid of anyone, a force that comes from his maturity,” the Italian told La Gazzetta dello Sport newspaper.

But it’s not a minor detail that Vettel is contracted to Red Bull until 2014, and tipped to extend his stay for a further two years.

For Ferrari team boss Domenicali, the seat to fill is currently occupied by Felipe Massa, whose deal ends next season.

“He will do everything to prove what he has to Ferrari, and the other drivers with contracts expiring will want to prove that they are ready to come,” he said. “Among those, probably, is Hamilton.

“But it’s early,” said Domenicali, referring to McLaren’s 2008 world champion Lewis Hamilton, whose deal expires in unison with Massa’s next season.

“Felipe had a good weekend (at Suzuka), until the contact with Hamilton. It was a shame it happened in a very positive weekend for him,” he added.

Ferrari’s first priority is to have a better car for 2012, and Domenicali revealed that only minor “details” of the current Italia 150 car will be saved.

“We will change everything; even the steering wheel,” he said.

A good night’s sleep was among one of Sebastian Vettel’s priorities after becoming the youngest ever double world champion.
Following a paddock party and then another involving karaoke until 5am on Monday morning, the Red Bull driver headed straight to Yokohama for a sponsor and media engagement.

It was there that, according to Abendblatt newspaper, the 24-year-old said: “My voice is a bit ruined now!

“After a long night I want to let the whole thing sink in a bit, get some sleep and then be ready for Korea.”

Indeed, any plans for more than a single night of partying has had to wait for now, with Vettel scheduled to practice in Korea in less than three days.

“We have celebrated a little,” he is quoted by rds.ca, “but not too much because this week we are in Korea.”

Vettel denied Bild newspaper’s claim that he seemed “almost sad” as he came to realise his achievements in the Suzuka paddock late on Sunday.

“I was not sad,” he insists. “I can be just as satisfied with a second or a fourth place but it’s clear that we did not have a perfect race. That’s what we strive for.

“It is also difficult for me to switch from the extreme tension of a race to realise straight away that you are world champion.

“Now it’s time for some rest, particularly some sleep, and then to understand it all. Sounds spectacular, I know.”

And the next goal will be to repeat it all in 2012.

“We want to keep going. It’s addictive. Nothing else in my life gives me as much satisfaction,” said Vettel.

Mark Webber has vowed to improve despite now sharing a team garage with F1′s youngest ever double world champion.

Less than a year ago, the Australian arrived at the season finale as a favourite for the championship, amid rumours he might be snapped up by Ferrari.

But ten days into October of 2011, his teammate Sebastian Vettel is the back-to-back title winner.

“We have had some problems but, ultimately, the problem is that I have not been fast enough or consistent enough to fight for wins with Sebastian,” admitted the 35-year-old.

Webber said he has struggled to adapt to the Pirelli tyres and make good race starts but “It’s true that I have struggled with Seb”, he told the Spanish newspaper El Pais.

“He has not had any problems with the tyres, with getting up and running at a good pace without destroying them. I have to improve,” said Webber.

El Pais also reminded Webber that, last year amid the Silverstone front wing saga, he said that if he knew he was subordinate to his teammate, he would not sign a new deal.

“What has changed to make you sign for another season?” asked the newspaper.

Webber answered: “I re-signed because I had no choice.”

But he denied that his single year deal is making him nervous, with drivers like Fernando Alonso and now Jenson Button locked into contracts for the long term.

“They are younger than me, but it doesn’t worry me too much,” insisted Webber. “You can sign for two or three years but I am sure that Jenson and Fernando have clauses to opt out if they don’t have competitive cars.”

And he insists he is not necessarily now Vettel’s ‘number 2′.

“Well, both this year and last year we started on equal terms but it ended well for Sebastian. This time I have just been fighting to win races.

“I have to be prepared because, maybe, he’s not going to like the new car or is not comfortable with it,” said Webber.

But he acknowledged that Vettel is likely to remain up to speed because the RB8 “is going to be very similar to what we have now”.

Sebastian Vettel and Red Bull could reign over a new era of dominance in formula one, the international press and paddock pundits said after Sunday’s Japanese grand prix.

At Suzuka, despite needing only a single point to rule his last opponent out of contention for the 2011 title, Vettel ensured Jenson Button will not come within 14 points of his second consecutive world championship.

The young German did it by finishing third but Spain’s El Mundo hailed a campaign that has been “too perfect” for the Red Bull driver.

Sir Jackie Stewart told the Daily Mail in Britain that he can’t see why Vettel won’t dominate for years to come.

“He is unquestionably the most mature 24-year-old racing driver I have seen,” said the triple world champion.

Agreed Britain’s Telegraph: “Vettel may rule for 10 years”, with the Independent adding he “has hallmarks of a new Prost or Senna”.

“Last season he was a sometimes callow 23-year-old,” observed the Guardian. “This year he has appeared a 24-year-old veteran”.

1996 Monaco grand prix winner Olivier Panis is quoted by Finland’s Turun Sanomat: “He is one of few drivers who may have the opportunity to break Michael Schumacher’s almost unbreakable records”.

Agreed Virgin’s Timo Glock: “If he keeps getting machines like this year, he could beat Michael”, the German is quoted by Italy’s La Gazzetta dello Sport.

Vettel’s achievement sees him join Schumacher and seven other fellow greats – including Fangio, Hakkinen and Alonso – who have managed back-to-back championships.

“Now we will see who is the youngest three time world champion,” smiled Ferrari’s Fernando Alonso.

German chancellor Angela Merkel has already delivered her official congratulations, while the Kolner Express quoted a Suzuka spectator called Norbert as saying: “I am not a double world champion, only his father”.

Canada’s French language La Presse had high praise for Vettel, insisting he is “largely responsible for Red Bull’s dominance this season”, with Reuters saying he has gone from “Crash Kid to Mr Consistent”.

And the team’s Dr Helmut Marko warned: “As the whole team is staying together, I see no reason why we cannot be as successful next year.”

According to father Norbert, young Vettel has not let his success and fame change him. “You need to be hard for formula one, but he’s not a bastard”.

Niki Lauda wrote in Bild newspaper: “His friendly facade is genuine, but behind the babyface is a killer.”

And among his future achievements could be his mentor’s ultimate record.

Smiling Vettel told reporters at Suzuka: “Did you notice that Michael is the youngest seven time world champion — ever?!”

Mark Webber’s struggles in 2011 are about Pirelli tyres but also his teammate Sebastian Vettel.
That is the claim of Red Bull driver manager Helmut Marko, when asked about the difficult season suffered by the team’s Australian driver in 2011.

Last year Webber finished just a handful of points behind Vettel’s championship win, but in 2011 he has failed to win a single race compared with his soon-to-be double world champion teammate’s nine so far.

“Webber is suffering with the successes of Vettel,” Marko told Austrian television Servus TV this week.

“But if they did not have each other then neither would be where they are now, as they push each other to excel. This is also the principle of our team.”

Another factor has been the switch from Bridgestone to Pirelli tyres, as Vettel “has been better to adapt” according to Marko.

It has been suggested that Webber is unhappy with the inconsistency of the Pirellis off the grid, which has contributed to his run of poor starts.

“Mark has had some problems this year with the starts, which is a very complex process. But he is aware of it and he is working on it with his engineers and in the simulator,” said team boss Christian Horner.

Both Horner and Marko tipped him to solve the problem in the next couple of races, but according to Yahoo Singapore, Webber thinks he lost his only chance of becoming world champion last year.

“Yes of course, I do think that last year was my last chance at being world champion,” he is quoted as saying.

“To win the championship you need 100 per cent from the team. I think it’s difficult for the team to give 100pc to both drivers as we are both demanding.

“Looking at the start we actually got (in 2011), it’s clear where the support needs to go and I respect that in some way,” added Webber.

Sebastian Vettel was sworn at by Ferrari’s Fernando Alonso after winning the Italian grand prix at Monza two weeks ago.

That is the unconfirmed claim of the German daily Bild-Zeitung, who said Spaniard Alonso whispered in the ear of championship Vettel before the Monza podium: “F*ck you, my boy”.

Earlier, to the passionate Tifosi’s chagrin, Vettel had passed Alonso to lead the race, a move the Red Bull driver described as “very hard but fair”.

Afterwards, the team’s outspoken Dr Helmut Marko said it was “good to show Alonso how the wind blows”.

Double world champion Alonso however denies Bild’s claim that he insulted Vettel.

“We chatted briefly but it was quite normal and friendly,” said the Spaniard.

Bild said Vettel would not comment.

But in an interview with the German broadcaster RTL, he talked about having the respect of his rivals.

“It’s important to me that I can feel it,” said the 24-year-old, “even if you have had an extremely tough race.”

Should Vettel extend his huge lead by another 13 points in Singapore, he will be crowned champion with five races still to run in 2011.

An analysis by Financial Times Deutschland said that with 27 per cent of the calendar to go, Vettel’s achievement will rank among the best in F1 history.

But Jim Clark (1963 and 1965), Jackie Stewart (1969 and 1971) and Nigel Mansell (1992) actually secured those championships in an even more rapid manner.

And the record is held by Michael Schumacher, who won the title with more than 35 per cent of the 2002 calendar still to run.

At least Red Bull figures are now starting to admit the inevitability of Vettel’s 2011 triumph.

“In many ways it’s more of a challenge to defend a title,” said Vettel’s boss Christian Horner. “It’s one thing to win a title, another to stay up there,” he told Die Welt newspaper.

“Sebastian just gets stronger and stronger.”

Jenson Button has refused to rule out switching to Ferrari.

McLaren has an option for 2012 on the British driver that must be activated within the next few weeks.

If the Woking based team lets the option expire, speculation that he is being lined up as the successor to Felipe Massa is certain to intensify.

Asked about Ferrari by the Spanish newspaper AS, 31-year-old Button answered at Silverstone: “Since I was a boy there are three teams I have dreamed about driving for — McLaren, Williams and Ferrari.

“I fulfilled a dream with Williams at the beginning of my career, and now I am at McLaren.

“I don’t know what my future is, but I want to have a car to fight to win races. You never know what will happen in the future, but at the moment I am happy with what I have.”

Button said he would not have a problem sharing a team with Fernando Alonso, the double world champion who is regarded as the clear number 1 at Ferrari.

“I am sure that if we were teammates, Fernando and I would have no problem. Alonso is a great driver for who I have great respect, and I think we would do great things together,” he said.

Button is more open about his plans to help youngsters start their own F1 careers.

“It’s not just (for) after F1, it’s during F1,” the 2009 world champion told Reuters, revealing his efforts to set up a driver management company with his manager Richard Goddard.

“I think it could be very useful for other people, obviously British kids, but not just them. I think I’ve got a lot to offer. So it could be very exciting,” he added.

A Spanish television station has been ordered to pay Fernando Alonso EUR 73,000.
The case dates back to December 2009, when the channel Antena 3 reported that the double world champion had separated from his wife Raquel del Rosario, the lead singer of the band El Sueno de Morfeo.

La Voz de Asturias and El Mundo said on Wednesday that a Madrid court has finally agreed to 29-year-old Ferrari driver Alonso’s charge of slander.

The judge is ordering Antena 3 to correct the information and, as per Alonso’s request, pay the 73,000 euros in full to the United Nations Children’s Fund Unicef.