Red Bulls Sebastian Vettel and seven-time Formula One world champion Michael Schumacher proved a winning combination during the first day of action at this years Race of Champions (ROC) event in Beijing on Tuesday.
The duo clinched their third successive Nations Cup victory for Germany in the Chinese citys spectacular Birds Nest stadium, after beating the Team GB pairing of new Formula One world champion Jenson Button and three-time World Touring Car champion Andy Priaulx in the finals.
Schumacher beat Button in the final's first heat, while Vettel was beaten by Priaulx in the second. However in the crucial tiebreak decider, crowd favourite Schumacher took victory driving the unique Race of Champions Car.
We had a nice fight - I just come back to this event to use whatever there is left of a talent, said the former Ferrari driver. With this track, it's just a case of watching where the other guy is to know how hard to push. Of course, the racing is the highlight but the other stuff that goes on around that is part of the relaxed atmosphere of the Race of Champions that we all enjoy.
Vettel and Schumacher had already defeated teams including China and Finland to reach the semi-finals. There, they competed against American rally drivers Tanner Foust and Travis Pastrana. But, despite a heroic effort by Foust to beat Schumacher, Vettel's two wins took Team Germany to the final once again.
Vettel, who finished runner-up to Button in this year's F1 championship, was equally thrilled with Team Germanys success, saying: To win three times in a row is something that no one has done before, so it's a real reason to be proud.
After his first taste of the ROC Nations Cup finals, Button was disappointed not to win: To be out there celebrating being the first loser is never best, I don't like finishing second. It was a lot of fun - I spent most of the evening trying to hang on to my team mate's coat tails.
The Formula One drivers were less successful in Wednesday's individual Race of Champions contest. Schumacher beat Vettel in the semi-finals, but then lost in the final to former DTM champion Mattias Ekstrom, who had earlier knocked out Button in his semi-final showdown.
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.