Sebastian Vettel will leave Formula 1 at the end of the 2022 season, and behind him will leave some great numbers in the premier class and his name written in gold letters as four-time world champion.
And since the last one (Singapore 2019), he has accumulated a total of 53 victories, the third with the most wins in the history of Formula 1, only behind his idol Michael Schumacher and Lewis Hamilton. 38 of them were with Red Bull and 14 with Ferrari, not forgetting the surprise with Toro Rosso.
To make this list we have assessed the experience that Vettel had at each moment, the machine at his disposal, the challenges he faced on each weekend and the nature of his success. Enjoy with the 10 best victories of Sebastian Vettel.
10. Indian GP 2011
Sebastian Vettel, Red Bull Racing
Red Bull RB7
GP: 79
Win: 21st
Start: 1st
“It was Vettel’s strongest performance that season,” Autosport said after the Red Bull driver took pole position, fastest lap, led every lap and victory at the new Buddh circuit. “It was as perfect a demonstration of the pilot’s art as ever before.”
He was the typical Vettel of the Red Bull era. He got off to a clean start from pole, put in a great first lap to stay out of harm’s way, kept everyone out of DRS range, and then controlled proceedings.
Only Jenson Button’s McLaren kept him in sight, finishing 8.4 seconds back. Fernando Alonso’s Ferrari crossed the line 24.3 after Red Bull.
Even his team couldn’t slow him down at the end, Vettel making sure to set the fastest lap in the last two. Rarely has such dominance been matched.
9. GP de Abu Dhabi 2013
Sebastian Vettel, Red Bull RB9 Renault
Red Bull RB9
GP: 118
Win: 37th
Start: 2nd
Vettel was overtaken on pole by team-mate Mark Webber but took the lead early on and built up a huge lead as the other Red Bull struggled to find its way to Nico Rosberg’s Mercedes .
What was particularly impressive was Vettel’s ability to put in fast laps while taking care of the fragile Pirellis. “Recently he has taken it a step further,” commented Red Bull boss Christian Horner . “His sensitivity to the tires while driving so fast is remarkable.”
Vettel also sat out longer than most of his rivals. “Despite the others coming in and changing tires he was going much faster on his old softs than anyone could manage on the new mediums,” Autosport said. “He was in a perfect place, in a rare area even for him.”
When he stopped, he was able to get back into the lead.
Webber underscored the RB9 ‘s pace by beating Rosberg for second, but still finished more than half a minute behind his teammate. “Seb was on a different planet than the rest of us today,” he admitted.
8. Malaysian GP 2015
Sebastian Vettel, Ferrari SF-15T
Ferrari SF-15T
GP: 141
Win: 40th
Start: 2nd
” Ferrari is back,” claimed the cover of Autosport magazine, as Vettel scored the Italian team’s first win of the turbo-hybrid era in just his second race in red.
Vettel had experienced a lackluster year in 2014, his last season with Red Bull, memorable in large part because of the drubbing of Daniel Ricciardo, and Ferrari could only manage fourth overall.
But race three and a tight second place in Sepang qualifying showed that Ferrari had made great progress. And then Vettel beat Hamilton’s Mercedes in the race.
Poleman Hamilton led at the start, with the Ferrari still close when Mercedes decided to pit both cars during an early Safety Car period. That gave Vettel crucial track position.
Even more important was Ferrari’s better tire wear, allowing Vettel to stop twice while Hamilton and Rosberg had to stop three times. The Silver Arrows simply couldn’t make up the time, with Vettel even overtaking Hamilton on track when they were on different strategies.
“This looked like the Sebastian that won four consecutive championships for Red Bull,” Autosport said after Ferrari’s victory by 8.6sec. “He executed his run to perfection.”
7. Singapore GP 2013
Sebastian Vettel, Red Bull Racing RB9 Renault
Red Bull RB9
GP: 114
Win: 33rd
Start: 1st
This was one of the best days for the Vettel-Red Bull duo. Once he had rid himself of the Rosberg threat at Turn 1, Vettel controlled the race.
After two laps, Vettel was 4.1 seconds ahead and 11 when Ricciardo crashed his Toro Rosso and triggered the safety car.
With 31 laps to go from 61 when the safety car went off and Vettel immediately unleashed incredible pace. He had a lead of 3.2 seconds after one fast lap, 5.6 after two and 8.3 after three: the main objective was to get enough of a lead for the Red Bull to come out of the pits and still ahead of the Ferrari of Alonso , who was fifth and hoping to pit again.
Vettel’s pace was impressive enough that he was able to stop after 17 laps and still hold the lead. His margin over second-place Alonso under the checkered flag was 32.6 seconds, his fastest lap a second better than the rest.
“The Singapore track revealed the full potential of the Red Bull RB9-Sebastian Vettel combination for the first time this season,” said Autosport . “As a total package they were completely devastating.”
6. British GP 2018
Sebastian Vettel, Ferrari
Ferrari SF71H
GP: 208
Win: 51
Start: 2nd
Vettel and Ferrari won 10 races between 2017 and 2018 fighting for the title against Hamilton and Mercedes, but few were as surprising as this one. And the German had to overtake at the last minute to get the victory.
The fast corners at Silverstone had worked in Mercedes’ favor previously, but an update made the SF71H competitive and it took a great lap from Hamilton to take pole position from Vettel by 0.044s.
Vettel made a good start to take the lead at Abbey, escaping the incident involving Kimi Raikkonen and Hamilton.
While the Englishman was coming back, Vettel escaped from Valtteri Bottas’s Mercedes. Tire wear and thermal degradation were a concern and Vettel had to be careful not to get caught by Bottas.
With the race under way, Marcus Ericsson collided with his Sauber and caused a yellow flag. The strategies changed: Vettel entered, while the two Mercedes stayed out, giving Bottas the advantage.
Vettel’s chances of regaining the lead were reduced when Carlos Sainz and Romain Grosjean touched shortly after the restart. Only 11 of the 52 laps remained.
Bottas looked like a tough nut to crack, escaping Vettel’s attack at Brooklands despite his old medium tyres, but the Ferrari’s new softs gave Vettel the advantage.
On lap 47, Vettel caught Bottas off guard and gave him an inside at Brooklands. A vital move that allowed him to see the checkered flag 2.3s ahead of Hamilton.
“I was able to follow him, even though I had clean air, but it was more difficult the closer I got,” explained Vettel. “The finishing move, I was able to surprise him. I thought, ‘I have to go for it’ because the more time I spent behind him, the more I was struggling with my tyres.”
In 2018, there were too many times when Vettel was second-best in wheel-to-wheel fights, but the Silverstone race was a reminder that when he’s in top form, he can make race-winning moves.
5. GP de Abu Dhabi 2010
Sebastian Vettel, Red Bull Racing
Red Bull RB6
GP: 62
Win: 10
Start: 1st
With two races (and 50 points) to go in the 2010 season, Vettel was just fourth in the drivers’ standings, 25 behind Alonso. The victory in Brazil placed him third, but he was still 15 behind the Spaniard and seven behind Webber, his Red Bull teammate.
Vettel took pole position in Abu Dhabi ahead of Hamilton by 0.031s and kept the McLaren behind at the first corner. The Englishman continued to put pressure on Vettel, but when they slipped out of traffic after their only stops, victory was all but assured for the Red Bull driver.
Vettel got it by 10.2 seconds and secured the title because others didn’t do what they had to do.
Webber stopped early (lap 11 of 55) and Ferrari reacted by bringing in Alonso to cover him four laps later, hoping the favorites would follow suit due to tire degradation. But once the graining was over, the leaders were able to increase their pace and continue to break away.
That left the Spaniard behind Vitaly Petrov ‘s Renault, which had stopped for a Safety Car period at the start. For the rest of the race, Alonso was unable to pass the Russian, which meant he finished seventh, with Webber also falling behind.
The result was Vettel taking his first title by four points over Alonso and 14 with Webber. One of the great surprises in sport, but Vettel had done his part in a remarkable season finale.
4. Spanish GP 2011
Sebastian Vettel, Red Bull Racing
Red Bull RB7
GP: 67
Win: 14
Start: 2nd
A sensational start saw Alonso take the lead, but his Ferrari was not quick enough for the local hero to keep up his challenge. Vettel overtook his teammate and pole-sitter Webber.
The top four – Alonso, Vettel, Webber and Hamilton – broke away and it was clear that the pit stops would be crucial. Red Bull called Vettel early and he came out behind Button .
Vettel quickly passed him, and also Felipe Massa’s Ferrari. Webber was unable to do the same when Hamilton overtook him after his stop.
In the second pit lane, Vettel finally overtook Alonso by stopping a lap early. Hamilton , lengthening his stop, also overtook the Ferrari as he came in and the McLaren was a threat to the Red Bull driver, especially as Vettel’s KERS was overheating.
Hamilton approached. Halfway through the race the gap was just 1.2 seconds and Vettel came in early to make his third stop. The McLaren stopped a lap later and with 30 laps to go 2.7s separated them.
Although Hamilton closed in again, Vettel was up to the task, fending off the attacks perfectly.
“He got his car right where he needed to be, and showed good judgment in resisting the urge to defend when Lewis was close but not close enough.”
The same thing happened after his fourth and final stop, and Vettel beat Hamilton by 0.6s.
3. Italian GP 2013
Sebastian Vettel, Red Bull Racing RB7
Red Bull RB7
GP: 75
Win: 18
Start: 1st
“The slowest car won the fastest race.” The high downforce settings at Monza provide a faster lap time, but teams tend to avoid it because it can leave cars vulnerable to being overtaken in top speed zones.
Such was Vettel’s confidence that he was able to fit a low-gear set-up that made him almost 20km/h slower down the straights. Still he made pole by 0.45s. That meant he was in a higher rev range and without DRS, but Vettel deservedly won the race after a good overtaking of Alonso ‘s combative Ferrari.
The Spaniard had overtaken Vettel at the start, just before the safety car came out following an accident at the first corner. On the restart Hamilton’s McLaren was overtaken by Michael Schumacher’s Mercedes, while a lap later Vettel took advantage of the gap left by Alonso at the first chicane.
At the Curvone, Alonso left space on the outside and Vettel even stepped on the grass to overtake him.
With the McLarens of Hamilton and Button , the only cars potentially with the pace to challenge him, stuck behind Schumacher , Vettel ran away. He was unchallenged for the remainder of the 53-lap race, finishing 9.6 seconds ahead of Button, who moved into second on lap 38.
2. Indian GP 2013
Sebastian Vettel, Red Bull Racing
Red Bull RB9
GP: 117
Win: 36
Start: 1st
There were times during the Red Bull-Vettel era when the need to take care of Pirelli tires hid some of their benefits. That was the case in many races in 2013, but at Buddh Vettel was able to use the soft tire to take pole by 0.752 seconds and the medium compound to win the race by almost half a minute.
The only problem was that the soft tires Vettel had to start on were only good for a few laps. Vettel stopped on lap two of 60 and pulled out into traffic.
Aided by a longer gear and less wing than originally planned, Vettel rallied from 17th. By lap 13 he was already third and eight later he overtook Sergio Pérez’s McLaren.
When his teammate Webber – who was going with a different strategy but was unable to shake off the traffic – stopped, Vettel took the lead.
Webber retired with alternator failure after two-thirds of the race, leaving Vettel with a big lead. Despite turning off his KERS as a precaution, he saw the checkered flag 29.8s ahead of second-place Nico Rosberg .
1. Italian GP 2008
Sebastian Vettel, Toro Rosso STR03 Ferrari
Toro Rosso STR3
GP: 22
Win: 1
Start: 1st
Surely Vettel became a better driver after 2008, but the circumstances, his inexperience, the car and the conditions put this victory at the top of the list.
Toro Rosso ‘s 2008 season was undoubtedly one of its best, but even so the team formerly known as Minardi only aspired to points and not podiums.
Rain during qualifying at Monza allowed Vettel to exploit the Ferrari-powered STR3 and took a sensational pole position. The race was also wet, but expectations were that faster cars, like Heikki Kovalainen’s McLaren starting on the front row, would prove stronger over the 53 laps.
The race started behind the safety car and Vettel held the lead when things got underway as normal. And he ran away.
Vettel survived a wild start and continued to lead after the first round of stops. Kovalainen seemed to be on the ropes, but his partner was another matter. Midway through the race, Vettel was seeing Lewis Hamilton through his mirrors after starting 15th.
Hamilton stopped and put on wet tires. A turning point. If it rained again, he could stay on those tires until the end, while Vettel needed another stop.
But the rain did not appear, forcing Hamilton to return to the pits for intermissions, leaving Vettel to make his second scheduled stop without losing the lead.
He finished 12.5 seconds ahead of Kovalainen, becoming the youngest winner in F1 history at the time. And Toro Rosso took its first win, ahead of Red Bull’s ‘A-team’.
“It was an incredible day, with a team that should not have been anywhere near the podium,” Vettel said years later. “I am extremely proud to have been a part of that miraculous day.”
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