Sebastian Vettel believes his Ferrari team is “fired up” looking towards 2018 after the disappointment of coming up short in this year’s championship battle despite making “incredible” progress.
Following a disappointing second half to 2016, which saw the Scuderia drop behind Red Bull, new design rules for this season allowed the great Italian team to move up and become the greatest threat to Mercedes’ domination during the hybrid era.
As a result, the four-time world champion was able to take five wins, including his most recent one last time out in Brazil, and though two retirements in three races with the third compromised by engine problems all-but ended any aspirations of taking the title, the position Ferrari now find themselves in at the end of the year is only positive for the 30-year-old.
“I think the step we have had this year was incredible, if we can do a similar step for next year then it should be a walk in the park,” he said on Thursday ahead of the finale in Abu Dhabi.
“The way the team came out with a competitive car at the start of the year and the way we’ve improved the chassis, engine and on all fronts has been outstanding. We’ve been close for most of the year but not close enough when it mattered, that is what has happened.
“I think from that we made our conclusions and learned our lessons so I believe those will help us next year and we are completely fired up for it. It was bitter but now I think it was good to have a couple of races at the end of the year to approach and look forward to next year.
“We’ll see as everyone will be pushing very hard for next year and I am sure we have the right people as we proved we have that this year. It all starts again next year so let’s see.”
Indeed, despite his confidence, Vettel admits there is still work to be done before he and Ferrari can dream of winning the world title next year with Sebastian more than aware of the standard of competition they are facing.
“Yes, massively tough,” he said of the challenge. “The level is very high and Mercedes has been very competitive for the past couple of years and again this year despite a regulation change which helped us to get a bit closer.
“For next year it is the same story that we need to make that step, the final step is always the hardest but that is why we are here and the name of the game. The people at Maranello are ready and fired up. We have some good projects in the pipeline, some will come quite soon but that is the normal fight.”
