Vettel the hot favourite again

The consensus of opinion —including that of the man himself — is that Sebastian Vettel will claim a sensational third world Formula One crown in the upcoming showdown firing off next weekend in the Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne.

The German wonderboy reckons he can be only the third driver, after legends Fangio and Michael Scbumacher, to win three titles in row — and few rivals believe there will be any different an outcome to the 19-race series. Drivers at this level necessarily thrive on self-belief, but secretly the threat posed by Vettel and Red Bull...again...torpedoes their hopes and they are mostly left with a scant dream that belies their confidence in the eventual destination of the title.

Records and fabulous riches are the rewards for effort, skill and courage and Vettel, just 24, has all those qualities in abundance. That is why few people, if any, in the paddock do not believe he will add to his tally of titles with a hattrick.

The race to be the best of the rest, trailing Vettel, will be where the most frantic action is staged and no less an authority than F1 ringmaster Bernie Ecclestone believes the season is all set to be a real humdinger. Over lunch, he told me: "I can't see Vettel not winning another title this time around, but the rest of the field is so closely bunched with some absolutely brilliant and brave drivers in superb cars it is shaping up to be a season to remember.... And I reckon F1 fans all over the world are in for a real treat with a spectacle to excite and thrill."

He is eagerly joined in his assessment by former world champions Niki Lauda, Mika Haakinen and Damon Hill, all set for a season as a Sky TV pundit after quitting his post as head of the Silverstone race circuit, the scene of the British Grand Prix.

Austrian Lauda, three times the champion with 25 wins, is also a respected pundit. He says: "People ask me whether Seb will find it easier or more challenging to clinch a third straight world title to his race record. My answer is : undoubtedly. And it will become even easier for him.

"How many more could he win? He could go on towards challenging Michael's record of seven, particularly as he is already establishing himself a long-term bond with Red Bull as Michael did with Ferrari. And the more you win, the more relaxed you become. Flying Finn Hakkinen, a double-header champion in 1998-99, told me: "Seb has a great future ahead of him. His positive mindset and his talent rank him above the others.

New generation

"He is one of the most consistently impressive drivers of the new generation with enough intelligence to take all the right opportunties when they have come his way. Whoever dislodges him from his present position as a multi world champion is going to have to be very impressive indeed."

Who could that be? McLaren men Lewis Hamilton, the 2008 champ, and Jenson Button, last year's runner-up, are firmly in the frame. Hamilton needs to break free from the shackles of celebrity that have encroached so punishingly on his life and deflected his intent. Button, in contrast is far more mature and well distanced from his wilder days and needs only to take up where he left off last season and hope the car McLaren give him matches his ambitions for it.

Ecclestone on Hamilton: "He needs to get off that showbiz roundabout. It was a trap for him last season. He is too good a driver to be involved in anything other than F1. All the other celebrity and startime stuff seem to deflect him last year and he was too often in all sorts of trouble."

On-track clashes with drivers, mainly Ferrari's Felipe Massa, and regular appearances before the stewards, blighted his season — but, he vows, it will all be different in 2012. The 27-year-old, a career winner 17 times, three last year, promised this week: "I will be at 100-per-cent this season.

"There were times last year when I was juggling too many things, there was too much happening in my life, too many questions unanswered and too much hanging over me. I had too much on my mind, whether is was purchases, investments, management, lawyers or family. I was mentally all over the place with too many puzzles and battling everybody stewards and all. It was something |I wanted to fix.

"And now I have corrected all that and I am starting with a clean slate with no worries."

Button, 32, the 2009 title holder and triumphant a dozen times, hit the best form of his career with performances so gutsy, particularly in Canada when he went from last to first, he has been earmarked as the dark horse to outpace Vettel if anybody could do it.

Canny driver

Hill says of him: "Jenson is always the dark horse, he doesn't make a big scene, he gets on with it and he is a canny driver who is getting even better. At the end of last season, he was super strong and you wanted to put your money on him each time out, whereas Hamilton you felt it could go either way. Good or bad."

Button, settled, calm, good tempered and super-cool behind the wheel, emerged as McLaren's number one in the last campaign. He said: "I could not be happier with my situation. I feel I have the team around me, like family, and that gives me the confidence and drive to do my best for them as well as myself. I think between us, me and Lewis, we can give Seb and Red Bull a good run for their money."

That is a point stressed by McLaren managing director Jonathan Neale who says: "We have two star drivers, all set for a great battle and a challenge to Vettel, and either one could emerge as a winner, a champion. Lewis, so well-loved here at the factory, and not incredibly tough on himself, is a man in his own right. He is one of the fastest men on the planet. We want him a lot to be the kind of driver who when you see him in your rear view mirror you know he is not going to stay there. He is always prepared to have a go and not be processional"

What about Button? "He has brought a lot to this team. And we are grateful. For all his affable, easy-going external temperament he is the consummate professional, very driven, very competitive.

You have to look at the sheer effort he puts into his triathlon training to see what a demanding and determined guy he is. And, on top of all that, he is clever and daring driver with fabulous skills."

But the last word goes to hot favourite Vettel. "...I just hope we can finish up with the same outcome. I am sure we can ...that's my job and my dream."

The writer is an expert in motorsport based in England.

Prize money for the constructors' championship