May 7 (GMM) Sebastian Vettel is to become the latest recipient of the annual Lorenzo Bandini trophy
The award, officially titled the Trofeo Lorenzo Bandini, is an ongoing tribute to the leading Italian driver of his period, who was burned to death in an horror accident at Monaco in 1967
Last year’s winner was Robert Kubica, and before him Felipe Massa
Mark Webber, Fernando Alonso, Kimi Raikkonen, Michael Schumacher, Juan Pablo Montoya, Jenson Button, Jarno Trulli, Alex Wurz, Giancarlo Fisichella, Jacques Villeneuve and David Coulthard have also been similarly honoured
Vettel, the 21-year-old German who won the recent Chinese grand prix for Red Bull, will receive the trophy from Bandini’s widow in the town square of their home town, Brisighella, near Imola
The event, dating back to 1992, will take place on May 31, the Italian newspaper La Gazzetta dello Sport said
Vettel, currently third in the drivers’ championship behind the Brawn drivers, was asked by the German news agency SID how he copes with suggestions he is on the cusp of securing a top drive with Ferrari or McLaren
“I take things step by step and am not influenced by speculation,” he answered. “My goal is to sit in the best possible car and win races. At the moment I’m happy right where I am.”n
