Hopes of victory for Team Germany in the Nations Cup ROC were resting solely on Sebastian Vettel  on Sunday, but that didn't keep the F1 driver from blitzing the field.

After a lousy first day in Miami in the individual event, Vettel found himself running solo to defend his country's colors when  doctor's orders sidelined Pascal Wehrlein following his massive crash on Saturday.

But that may have actually worked to the Ferrari driver's advantage as he benefitted from increased track time and kept himself in the groove throughout the day.

Vettel single-handedly dispatched his rivals round after round to put Team Germany in the final with six wins from six races.

He was then pitted against Team Nascar's Kurt Busch who had edged out Indycar's Alex Rossi in the second semi-final, although the former was accused of having jumped the start, but no penalty was applied.

In Race 1, Germany's one man army continued on its conquering way, Vettel comfortably beating Busch in the ROC Buggy.

Rally cars were allocated for Race 2 but while the heat was disputed, Vettel still emerged a flawless  and unbeaten winner, collecting his eighth win of the day!

Vettel delivered to Germany its seventh Nations Cup ROC win, having won the six others with Michael Schumacher whom he paid tribute to.

"We started this journey together, and he was helping me out most of the time in the beginning, so I was able to learn a lot from," Vettel said.

"We all would have loved to have him here, so our thoughts are with him.

"I was probably smart enough to pay attention when he was teaching me, so it helped today."

GALLERY: F1 drivers' wives and girlfriends

Keep up to date with all the F1 news via Facebook and Twitter

 

Phillip van Osten

Motor racing was a backdrop from the outset in Phillip van Osten's life. Born in Southern California, Phillip grew up with the sights and sounds of fast cars thanks to his father, Dick van Osten, an editor and writer for Auto Speed and Sport and Motor Trend. Phillip's passion for racing grew even more when his family moved to Europe and he became acquainted with the extraordinary world of Grand Prix racing. He was an early contributor to the monthly French F1i Magazine, often providing a historic or business perspective on Formula 1's affairs. In 2012, he co-authored along with fellow journalist Pierre Van Vliet the English-language adaptation of a limited edition book devoted to the great Belgian driver Jacky Ickx. He also authored "The American Legacy in Formula 1", a book which recounts the trials and tribulations of American drivers in Grand Prix racing. Phillip is also a commentator for Belgian broadcaster Be.TV for the US Indycar series.

Recent Posts

Five years on: Grosjean reunites with fiery Bahrain GP helmet

Many F1 drivers have stared danger in the face, but few moments in the sport’s…

7 hours ago

Before Shelby's days of taming the Cobra

Carroll Shelby was born on this day in 1923, and while the great Texan is…

9 hours ago

Cassidy stands tall in Mexico City – and so does Citroën

Nick Cassidy delivered to Citroen Racing its maiden ABB FIA Formula E World Championship in…

10 hours ago

Alpine to give Colapinto ‘all the support he needs’ to deliver in F1

Franco Colapinto endured a tough season with Alpine in 2025, but inside Enstone the message…

11 hours ago

The long game: Williams still building as Vowles looks beyond 2026

As Williams continues its steady ascent under the leadership of James Vowles, the Grove-based outfit…

12 hours ago

Audi’s Wheatley thought team principal role in F1 was ‘unattainable’

In the world of Formula 1, where career ladders are often climbed with ruthless ambition,…

13 hours ago