By Nick Mulvenney
BEIJING (Reuters) - Sebastian Vettel aims to end Britain's run of success and become Formula One's youngest champion next year.
Two days after concluding a superb season with his fourth win of the year in Abu Dhabi, the 22-year-old German was still oozing the sort of confidence that took him to the overall runner-up spot behind champion Jenson Button.
"There is only one step we can make for the team ranking, for the constructors, as well as for the drivers' championship, for myself. So there is no question about the target," the Red Bull driver told Reuters at the Race of Champions on Tuesday.
"I think (we can do it). We have grown a lot already this year and it was the first time for us to be in a situation where we had a very competitive car.
"Of course in the end, second place is good but we would like to be one step better for next year."
Vettel will not be 23 until July next year whereas McLaren's Lewis Hamilton became the youngest champion in 2008 aged 23 and 301 days.
The German already owns most of the other records in the book for youthful achievement: youngest to score points, youngest on the podium, youngest to take a pole position and youngest race winner.
File photo of Sebastian Vettel (2009) 
File photo of Michael Schumacher (2007)
Seven-time Formula One world champion Michael Schumacher together with F1 racer Sebastian Vettel won the Nations Cup for Germany at the Race of Champions on Tuesday. The event was held at the Bird’s Nest stadium in Beijing, China.

The winning duo beat the Brittish team of the new Formula One world champion Jenson Button and three-time World Touring Car champion Andy Priaulx.

The individual contest was won by Mattias Ekstrom, former DTM champion, who defeated Schumacher on Wednesday.

Red Bull driver Vettel also won the FIA Formula One 2009 Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix earlier on November 1st at Yas Marina Circuit, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.

Pole-sitter Lewis Hamilton was overtaken by Vettel after his first pit stop and then was forced to return to the pits soon after and quit the race after suffering a brakes problem.

Sebastian Vettel driving at 2009 Abu Dhabi GP 
Vettel's teammate and winner of the previous Grand Prix Mark Webber came second and the current season champion Jenson Button won the third place on the podium for Brawn GP after pushing Webber very hard on the dying laps of the race with a gap of about half a second at the finish line.


Rubens Barrichello was able to mantain 4th place, having been overtaken only by his teammate Button.

Nick Heidfeld took fifth in BMW 's final race. Both Toyota cars of Kamui Kobayashi and Jarno Trulli also drove the full race to finish on the back of Heidfeld. Sébastien Buemi closed the top eight for Toro Rosso.

Thus, Sebastian Vettel took the second place in the championship from Barrichello at the finale of 2009 season. Vettel claimed he will aim to become a champion next year. "There is only one step we can make for the team ranking, for the constructors, as well as for the drivers' championship, for myself. So there is no question about the target," Vettel said after the race.