SEBASTIAN VETTEL shed tears of joy following an Italian Grand Prix win that has left him with an iron-fisted grip on a further slice of Formula One history.

Monza was supposed to highlight Red Bull’s weaknesses, instead the dominant Vettel merely proved he and his team simply have no flaws this season, and the championship is now but a formality.

This was Vettel’s eighth victory this season and, to underline its magnitude, only two drivers in F1 have achieved more in a single campaign. Michael Schumacher holds the record with 13, the seven-times world champion also won 11 one year and nine on three occasions, as did Nigel Mansell in 1992.

With Ferrari’s Fernando Alonso now his nearest challenger, but 112 points adrift, there is the prospect of Vettel becoming the youngest backto- back world champion in Singapore in two weeks time.

For that to happen he must at least finish on the podium to start with, something he has failed to do only once in 13 grands prix to date, and then beyond that various permutations kick in.

But at the scene of his maiden victory in 2008 when he conjured an unlikely triumph with Red Bull’s ’sister’ team Toro Rosso, his win on this occasion clearly meant as much.

Standing above one of the greatest scenes in F1, as thousands of fans invaded the track to watch the podium celebrations, emotion got the better of the 24-year-old German.

‘‘Yeah, very emotional,’’ said a more composed Vettel as he later reflected on his 18th career success.

‘‘This circuit means a lot to me. It is very special as I got my first win here, so when I crossed the line I remembered every single bit of that.

‘‘And then the podium, that is unbelievable. When you stand up there you feel so blessed. It doesn’t happen to many people.

“There are so many people underneath you who have come all the way from as far as the Curva Grande (a sweeping bend a kilometre away).

‘‘It is filled with people, and it is amazing. Last time the Italian people were cheering a bit more (as Toro Rosso are based in Italy). But it is still very special for me to be in this place again.’’ After finishing 9.5secs clear of Jenson Button, bridesmaid for the third successive year at the track, Vettel knows the title is close.

‘‘It has been an incredible year so far,’’ added Vettel.

‘‘We have progressed so much as a team, become so much stronger in the last two years, even from last year to this year we have made such an incredible step.

“We have put ourselves in a very good position, but we will go to Singapore, take things step-by-step and see what we can do.’’ The only blemish for Vettel saw him lose top spot on the run down to the first corner chicane as Alonso blitzed past him and Lewis Hamilton in his McLaren. Chaos ensued behind, however, as Vitantonio Liuzzi lost control of his Hispania and wiped out Renault’s Vitaly Petrov and the Mercedes of Nico Rosberg to bring out the safety car.

Once that returned, Vettel wasted no time in passing Alonso with a breathtaking move around the Curva Grande, and from that moment he was never troubled.

Behind him, Button took advantage of a fierce scrap between Hamilton, 126 points down, and Schumacher, who finished fourth and fifth, before later accounting for Alonso to seal the runner-up spot.

‘‘It was a good race, just not for the lead, which was a shame,’’ said Button.

‘‘It’s always difficult when you are down in seventh at one point after the start, which was tough.

“But the race was then a lot of fun, and the atmosphere here is fantastic, just electric.

‘‘We still have to get everything together on race weekends, and hopefully we will be challenging Red Bull and Seb.

‘‘It was a great job here by the whole team, but it is just little things we need to work on.’’