German stars Michael Schumacher and Sebastian Vettel again proved too strong for rival national teams in the Race of Champions Nations Cup, beating Jenson Button’s Team GB to claim a hat-trick of titles in Beijing on Tuesday.
The pair had proved unbeatable in the teams' event since winning the first of two titles at Wembley Stadium in 2007 and in the annual competition’s first ever appearance at China’s Olympic Bird’s Nest stadium defeated new F1 champion Button and World Touring Car ace Andy Priaulx in the final.
Germany owed their victory in the final to seven-time champion Schumacher who beat former rival Button in the first heat on the specially-constructed parallel track, before defeating Priaulx in a tie-breaker after the three-time WTC champion had levelled the scores after coming out on top in his race with Vettel.
Red Bull Racing star Vettel had rescued the reigning champion nation in the semi-final however, seeing off the spirited American team of Tanner Foust and Travis Pastrana after Schumacher had lost the first heat to drift and rally expert Foust.
The German duo had earlier cruised through the initial group stage without losing a single heat in their duels with Australia, Finland and hosts China.
Button beat friend and former F1 racer David Coulthard by a mere 0.6s in Team GB’s opening group fixture against an all-star outfit, with the world champion and Priaulx making the final after further successes against Monaco and China.
Germany’s third Nations Cup success pulls it one clear of France and Finland in all-time title wins with three, with Vettel delighted to win the crown again two days on from finishing his F1 season with a win in Abu Dhabi.
"To win three times in a row is something that no-one has done before, so it’s a real reason to be proud," said Vettel.
Schumacher, who was forced to cancel an F1 comeback earlier this year due to an old neck injury, was glad to be back in the thick of a competitive motorsport environment again, saying: "We had a nice fight.
"I just come back to this event to use whatever there is left of a talent. With this track, it’s just a case of watching where the other guy is to know how hard to push."
Runner-up Button added: “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 main RoC competition will take place on Wednesday, with Schumacher, Vettel, Button and Coulthard all vying alongside a host of international motorsport stars from various categories for the coveted individual honour.
Heikki Kovalainen, then a Renault test driver, is the only F1-associated driver ever to win the main title, the Finn beating Schumacher in the final in Paris in 2004.