F1 leader Sebastian Vettel

Sebastian Vettel's main aim after a third resounding victory in four Formula One season races is playing down the expectations. "It is good to get as many points as you can every single race. But it is a long, long way and we saw how quickly things have changed last year," said the reigning champion Vettel after leading home from Mark Webber in a Red Bull one-two finish on Sunday. In 2010, Ferrari's Fernando Alonso almost won the title after trailing then leader Lewis Hamilton by 47 points after 10 of 19 races. The later world champion Vettel was 21 points behind Hamilton at the time. Now, three victories and a second place, plus a sweep of four poles, have given the German Vettel an all but perfect start into his title defence and a 34-point lead over McLaren's Hamilton. "A good start to the season always helps, but it is a long, long way to go. Four out of 19, so you can work out how many points there are still to get so we have to keep focused," Vettel insisted. "We all try to win, obviously, and all try to be better than the other guys but I think there's always someone at some point who will teach you a lesson and will give you a very hard time and beat you. "There's never any time to really rest and think that really everything is under control." Others were less modest, given Vettel's dominance. "If he continues like this it is no longer a question whether he will become world champion, but only when," said Italy's Gazzetta Dello Sport paper on Monday. Germany's Bild thought likewise by asking "Will Vettel become world champion sooner than Schumi?" The record world champion Michael Schumacher clinched the 2002 crown in the 11th of 17 races. Further fears over a boring season also came from the dramatic turnaround for Red Bull in Istanbul. Last year, Vettel and Webber collided while fighting for the lead as their relationship turned sour, but the team eventually rebounded for the constructors' and drivers' title at the end of the campaign. Now some believe that Sunday's one-two at the same place could make Red Bull unbeatable. "Red Bull eventually won both championships in a thrilling climax to the (2010) season. The worry for their rivals, just four races into this one, is that the experience gained from that rancorous campaign makes this year's a foregone conclusion," said Britain's Daily Telegraph. Team principal Christian Horner said: "All compliments to the team, it certainly exorcises the demons from last year." The only downside for Vettel on the weekend was his practice crash on Friday and the fact that he could not enjoy a few gulps of champagne on the podium because at 23 years he is one year below for the Turkish alcohol age limit. Webber and third placed Ferrari driver Fernando Alonso, by contrast, enjoyed the bubbly stuff after their best season results and a thrilling fight for second and third. "Finally we enjoy racing again and we enjoy a race fighting for the podium positions," said Alonso. This time around it was McLaren to lick their wounds. Hamilton, who beat Vettel for victory at the previous race in China, had to settle for fourth after a pit stop problem. Jenson Button was sixth. But Hamilton remained upbeat, saying: "Fourth place is still good and we're still second in the championship."