SHANGHAI, China (AP) - There is another youngster to watch in Formula One besides Lewis Hamilton and his name is Sebastian Vettel.

Now a Toro Rosso driver after being a test driver for BMW-Sauber and a one-race replacement, the 20-year German came fourth at the Chinese Grand Prix with a one-stop strategy.

"P4! A fantastic race!" an excited Vettel said. He was pumping his arms as he finished.

"After the start, I used my momentum to go round the outside of several cars. Even though it was really slippery I took the risk. I kept pushing as hard as I could," Vettel said.

"The last 20 laps were unbelievable and even though I had the situation under control and slowed the pace, it was tough."

After his hard race last week at the Japanese Grand Prix, he had a down-and-up weekend this time.

He was in third when he crashed at the Fuji Speedway. The accident caused Vettel to be initially penalized 10 grid spots in China before an investigation canceled that punishment.

Then, after coming in 12th in Shanghai qualifying, Vettel was again dropped five spots for an infringement.

But that all was forgotten when he finished fourth.

As test driver for BMW-Sauber last year, Vettel made history at August's Turkish Grand Prix when, at 19 years and 53 days, he became the youngest driver to participate in a Grand Prix weekend.

Vettel also posted the top time there and was among the top three drivers several other times in Friday practice at the remaining four races of the season.

This year he filled in for an ailing Robert Kubica at the U.S. Grand Prix in June, finishing eighth to become the youngest driver to score an F1 point.

He quickly returned to his role as test driver after Kubica recovered, before moving to Toro Rosso.

Vettel began his career in kart racing, moved up to Formula BMW where he was the top rookie in 2003 and dominated the following season by winning 18 of 20 races.

SO MUCH FOR RALF: Ralf Schumacher recorded another Did Not Finish in Shanghai, and his time at Toyota is now down to just one more race.

After starting in sixth he slid off the track on the first lap and dropped to the back of the field. He spun again on lap 27.

"That was a tough, disappointing race. I spun on the first lap trying to avoid a collision with another car. After that we were able to make up ground and I passed a lot of cars," Schumacher said.

Then he said he changed tires as the weather changed.

"At that point the track was drying so we took the risk to switch to dry tires because we didn't have much to lose. But then the quick shower arrived."

"I lost grip and the engine died."

Earlier this week he announced that he would be ending his contract with Toyota and will be looking for another team next season.

FLASHBACK: This season's climax in Brazil will be the first time since 1986 that three drivers have gone into the last race with a chance to win the title. In 1986 it was Alain Prost, Nigel Mansell and Nelson Piquet all went to Adelaide, Australia with a chance at glory.

Hamilton is hoping to avoid the curse that struck his fellow Briton Mansell.

Mansell held a seven-point buffer going into the race, and qualified in pole position knowing even third place would be enough to win the title.

Prost's McLaren teammate Keke Rosberg led the race but retired with a tire failure after 63 of 82 laps, promoting Piquet to the lead and his Williams teammate Mansell second.

Mansell was due to change tires at the end of the 64th lap, but less than half a lap from the pits, his own rear tire blew whilst traveling at close to maximum speed at the end of the straight. He battled to control the fishtailing car, and pulled up a few feet from the tire wall.

Worried by Rosberg and Mansell's tire failures, Piquet was called into the pits for a tire change after lap 65, and emerged 15 seconds behind Prost.

Prost had to finish ahead of Piquet to win the title. The smooth-driving Frenchman chose not to stop, but nursed his wearing tires in the closing laps, seeing his lead cut to just four seconds, but went on to win the race.

Prost won the drivers crown, making him the first driver to win back-to-back titles since Jack Brabham in 1960.