Vettel is ready to defend his title

The story of 2010 is still fresh in the memory and after a rollercoaster season defined by both troubles and triumphs, including outstanding wins in Sepang and Valencia, Vettel’s mesmerising march to the title with three wins from the final four races gave the world a season showdown to cherish.

Now though, the 2011 season beckons, and while Sebastian is still basking in the glow of his title glory, he knows an exciting new challenge awaits.

“It feels at least as good now as it did when I crossed the line in Abu Dhabi,” he says of the final-day title win. “Back then it was quite difficult to really realise what had just happened. But around Christmas I got a couple of days to myself and then I could come to terms with it.”

“As a sportsman, though, you’re always looking forward,” he adds. “That process happens quite quickly when you race week to week. With the Championship it took a little bit longer, but it was a very nice process. Now though, 2010 is behind us. It’s a very proud memory, but now it’s 2011 and there’s another job to do, so we move to the next challenge, which is trying to do the same again.”

This year that means contending with some new technologies and Sebastian is quick to point out that the impact of KERS on the whole grid and the new moveable wing is hard to gauge.

“KERS we know about already, we have seen the effect on the track in 2009, but the moveable rear wing is a bit of an unknown. No one has ever driven the car with that type of wing and it’s difficult to know how it will work: will overtaking be just about possible, which I think is the idea, or will overtaking become very easy and therefore artificial, which is what no one wants to happen.”

“With KERS, the question is how good and how efficient your system is,” he continues. “Not
just in terms of performance but in how quickly it recharges the batteries under braking and how
much it upsets your car when you do apply it. Obviously, the teams that had it in 2009 have
a little bit of an advantage, but we will just have to work hard on that.”

“In the end, though, it is just one variable and there are always variables. We have different tyres to work with this season and we have to see how we deal with that. You just have to adapt and try to make your driving style suit the car. It happens every year and we will deal with it. It’s good, it definitely keeps you on your toes.”

All of which points to a reinvigorated champion taking to the grid for the 2011 season.

“At the end of last year I was feeling very tired and needed a rest, but I’ve had that rest now and I’m really looking forward to it again. You know, I found out that the trophy I got in Monaco last year… I thought everyone got their own one,” he says with a wry smile. “But it’s not that way, you have to give it back. So for this year I need to push really hard to keep it in my house!”