Aged Just 21 Years and 74 Days, Vettel is Youngest Ever Grand Prix Winner

A bright new star was shining in formula one last night. Sebastian Vettel, 74 days after his 21st birthday, kept his Toro Rosso in front from start to finish of an extraordinary Italian grand prix and become the youngest man ever to win a formula one race.

The charismatic driver from Heppenheim, near Mannheim, achieved the feat on a patchy wet track in his 22nd grand prix. He was 317 days younger than Fernando Alonso when he won the 2003 Hungarian grand prix in a Renault.

Vettel played down claims that he was Germany's next Michael Schumacher and said the weather had played a key role.

"To compare me with Michael Schumacher is just a bit ridiculous," he said. "I know him well and he's a very nice guy who is very down-to-earth. It will be difficult in normal conditions for us to repeat this achievement, so I will not be going to Singapore thinking that I am a superstar or expecting to win again, because that's just not going to happen."

Schumacher, now an adviser to Ferrari, said: "He has the potential to be world champion but it's a long and rocky road. I was crossing my fingers the car would keep going and he would bring it home. In the end, what he did today was absolutely first-class. To make no mistakes in these conditions and dominate the race from the start, and in a car that is not the fastest, shows he is an extremely strong driver in heavy rain."

Having qualified in pole position, Vettel delivered a performance of such speed, consistency and composure that it was difficult to believe how inexperienced he is. "Being out in front with no visibility problems was the key and I could build up a solid gap to [runner-up] Heikki [Kovalainen] straight away," said Vettel. "Then I was pushing very hard, sometimes going over the limit and I nearly lost the car."

Britain's Lewis Hamilton forced his way from 15th to seventh but his lead at the top of the drivers' championship was cut to one point as Felipe Massa came sixth.