FIA
Sebastian Vettel and Red Bull Racing have been officially crowned as 2013 Formula 1 champions at the FIA Gala in Paris.
Vettel and Red Bull received the drivers' and constructors' trophies for the fourth successive season at the event held at the Cité du Cinéma in the French capital.
Fernando Alonso and Mark Webber were also present to collect their awards for finishing in second and third place respectively.
"When I think of the times I’ve experienced with the team over the last few years, it’s incredible," said Vettel.
"It's a pleasure to jump in the car each weekend and to try and give it all I have. I’m pushing very hard along with the team and what makes us strong is that we love what we do and we’re passionate about racing."
"This year was not an easy season, but to overcome that and give the answer on the track makes me very proud. I don’t have words to describe how incredible it is to retain the Drivers’ Championship for another year, I would like to say a huge thank you to the team and everyone who supported me."
Team principal Christian Horner added that a fourth successive world championship was beyond Red Bull's wildest dreams when the drinks company took over Jaguar at the end of 2004.
"Winning a fourth FIA Formula One World Champion Constructors’ title this year is something that the team could only have dreamt of when we began our first season in 2005."
"What has gone into this achievement should not be underestimated; the whole team has worked together with enormous commitment and determination."
"When we won the Championship for the first time, the pressure was to defend it."
"We defended it and then retained it. Having achieved the triple, you think it doesn’t get any better than that and the likelihood of doing a quadruple double just seemed statistically unlikely, if nothing else. But the passion, the determination and the dedication within the whole team, along with the way that Sebastian and Mark delivered this year, has been absolutely phenomenal."
