Red Bull’s Sebastian Vettel does not consider himself favourite for 2011 Formula 1 season
Red Bull’s young driver Sebastian Vettel has said that he does not have an advantage by having number 1 on the car.
He also said that he will not have a head start, considering that he is the defending Formula 1 champion.
In 2010, Vettel became the youngest Formula 1 champion in the history of the game when reached the top of the tables by beating the much favourite Fernando Alonso and his teammate Mark Webber. In 2011, it is thought that Vettel will get more preference from
the Red Bull team than Mark Webber, which he denied.
The pre-season testing has shown that the new RB7 is clearly the fastest car. Many teams like Ferrari, McLaren, Mercedes and also the FIA commercial rights holder Bernie Ecclestone have said that Red Bull will be the pace sitter this season. Vettel was also
the fastest driver for many days out of the eleven days of pre-season testing. Red Bull’s car has also completed more laps than any other team and has managed to be in P5’s.
This puts Red Bull and especially Sebastian Vettel in the hot seat, but Vettel says, “We all start from zero, it's a new season so everyone in theory has the same chance to win the championship.”
He added, “I don't have an advantage. Having the number one on the car is a nice feeling, it was a great success and a big relief for me last year, so hopefully that made me a bit stronger.”
Sebastian Vettel is expected to have a tough fight from Ferrari’s Fernando Alonso and his teammate Mark Webber. McLaren’s duo is way off the pace and Mercedes are lacking development. Apart from that, the surprise element of Renault, Lotus and Williams will
help make the competition tough for Vettel.
The season opener will be the Australian Grand Prix on the 27th of the March as the Bahrain Grand Prix was cancelled after the political unrest. Talking about the extra time spared due to the Bahrain cancellation he said, “It gives
you a little bit more flexibility, a little bit more time, because obviously I would have been on my way to Bahrain otherwise.”
Red Bull will join the five-day Barcelona testing from March 8 – 11, 2011.
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