Q & A with Sebastian Vettel

The German arrived on stage at the Sporting de Monaco event alongside Red Bull team principal Christian Horner to stand in front of his title-winning RB6 and collect the famous drivers' title trophy from FIA president Jean Todt.

Straight after getting his hands on his award, Vettel told AUTOSPORT about his feelings at finally having the championship trophy in his hands - and gave a few more reflections on the season.

And after a whirlwind few weeks since clinching the title in Abu Dhabi, having had his diary packed with promotional events, media appearances, tests and award ceremonies, it was clear that Vettel is now eager for a bit of downtime to refresh his batteries.

Q. So you have finally got your world championship trophy and you are now officially the world champion. How does it feel?

Sebastian Vettel: I don't know why I didn't cry to be honest! I told you at the AUTOSPORT Awards last week that you cannot believe how much this trophy means to me. It is something so special.

And to see the names on there means so much. To have your name engraved there is amazing - and in the same line there are all the champions from 2000, 1990, 1980 and so on. So there is Michael [Schumacher], [Ayrton] Senna, Alan Jones, and of course Jochen [Rindt] from 1970. It is very special.

Q. Looking back at the season now, is there a sense of amazement at how your fortunes fluctuated - and do you sit there realising that every race you won gave you the crucial points that made you champion?

SV: It was not just every win, it was every race. There were races like Silverstone where obviously there was really no hope after the first lap but then we fought back. It shows you how important every single point can be, and even if you might be fed up with your result or disappointed, at the end of the year you can see how important each race can be. With the new points system, four points difference would have been just two points under the old structure! I am not going to give this trophy away - and I will try and defend it as hard as I can next year.

Q. So after a lot of commitments after the season, now you have the trophy, are you going to be able to finally put your feet up and have a bit of a break?

SV: Yes, now finally!

Q. And do you think it important you have a bit of down time?

SV: Yes, for sure. Also to get the energy obviously for next year. At the beginning of this season I was printing out pictures of this trophy, because as a sportsman you look ahead. So this is a very, very nice souvenir, and very special, but you always look forward to the next step.

Q. One facet of the season that was not known at the time, and only emerged at the end of the year, was that in Hungary you had tried to help Mark Webber by giving him a bit of a gap at the safety car restart rather than what happened being a mistake. What can you say about that now the year is over?

SV: Well, I think I learned a lesson. Obviously, as you can see from the pictures, I was obviously very disappointed because things did not go according to plan. I threw away a win...

Q. But do you think people did not appreciate at the time how much of a team player you were?

SV: I am who I am. I don't need to make any talk about that. I didn't do it all year and I won't do it now - it is not the time. In the end, I learned a lot this year and what matters most is when you get back - either to a hotel or to home - and finally you can face yourself in the mirror and know exactly what happened. You have to understand it yourself and deep down in your heart you have to know what is going on.

That is more important than whatever people think, or they write or say. In the end, it is impossible to please everybody. Sometimes it might be seen from a different angle, but as long as you know for yourself, then that is all that matters. I don't want to make any speeches now, because I haven't done all year, and it's not the time to.

Q. But having experienced this season, and the high points and extreme low points, you are pretty much prepared for everything now aren't you?

SV: Yes! I hope there is much more to come. I want to become a better driver and a better person, but I think this year has been a very tough lesson, but with a very sweet outcome in the end.