Sebastian Vettel favourite as F1 season set to begin
9 March 2013 1:28 AM GMT
The pre-season testing for Red Bull has been surprisingly subdued, with the team struggling to top the time sheets and cynics wondering whether Sebastian Vettel’s reign as champion might just be about to end. Don’t count him out just yet.
The three-time champion has been in this situation before. In 2012, he roared back with a string of victories toward the end of the season to overtake Ferrari’s Fernando Alonso and win the title in Brazil. And many believe the team’s 2013 car has yet to show its full potential as Vettel and teammate Mark Webber prepare for the Australian Grand Prix March 17.
For Vettel, the 25-year-old German driver known for his boyish charm, it’s chance to make history once again -- winning a fourth title would put him in the company of F1 greats Manuel Fangio and Michael Schumacher.
‘Well, it’s not that we believe that we will go to Melbourne and blitz everybody,’ said Vettel, the youngest triple champion in F1 history.
‘We are happy with the balance and the way the car behaves -- and that is a very positive signal.’
Lewis Hamilton has the speed and daring to beat Vettel but the British driver must get used to his new car after switching from McLaren to Mercedes.’
There’s still a lot of work ahead of us to get to where we want to be but the team is doing a great job,’ said Lewis Hamilton.
The three-time champion has been in this situation before. In 2012, he roared back with a string of victories toward the end of the season to overtake Ferrari’s Fernando Alonso and win the title in Brazil. And many believe the team’s 2013 car has yet to show its full potential as Vettel and teammate Mark Webber prepare for the Australian Grand Prix March 17.
For Vettel, the 25-year-old German driver known for his boyish charm, it’s chance to make history once again -- winning a fourth title would put him in the company of F1 greats Manuel Fangio and Michael Schumacher.
‘Well, it’s not that we believe that we will go to Melbourne and blitz everybody,’ said Vettel, the youngest triple champion in F1 history.
‘We are happy with the balance and the way the car behaves -- and that is a very positive signal.’
Lewis Hamilton has the speed and daring to beat Vettel but the British driver must get used to his new car after switching from McLaren to Mercedes.’
There’s still a lot of work ahead of us to get to where we want to be but the team is doing a great job,’ said Lewis Hamilton.
Next Story
