VETTEL BREAKS FERRARI’S F1 DROUGHT
OUTMANOEUVRES HAMILTON WITH VICTORY IN AUSTRALIA
MELBOURNE: Sebastian Vettel jumped onto the podium at the Australian Grand Prix and held up his right index finger, celebrating the end of Ferrari’s Formula One drought and a break in the Mercedes dominance.
It was back to No. 1 for Ferrari, at least after one race to open the season.
Ferrari hadn’t won an F1 GP since Vettel’s victory in Singapore in September 2015, and so his unrestrained joy on Sunday signaled renewed confidence from him.
“For now, we’re just over the moon,” four-time world champion Vettel said after holding off Mercedes teammates Lewis Hamilton and Valtteri Bottas. “It’s been a great day for us. The team has been working so hard at the track as much as back at the factory. It’s a great feeling.”
“Grazie mille,” he added, a nod to the Italian manufacturer, “you can’t say much more.”
With regulations designed to make the 2017 F1 cars faster wider tires, greater aerodynamics, bigger fuel loads and increased downforce - Vettel proved Ferrari’s extra pace in pre-season testing was genuine.
“It’s good to know we have a great car but it’s just the beginning ... with new regulations, a new generation of cars,” Vettel said. “Mercedes have a great engine and a great car the last couple of years - we’re the ones who’ve had to catch up. Whatever happens this year, the race today doesn’t hurt.”
Vettel finished in 1 hour, 24 minutes and 11.672 seconds, almost 10 seconds clear of Hamilton, to give Ferrari its first win in Australia since Kimi Raikkonen took the title in 2007. Raikkonen, in the second Ferrari, finished fourth this year.
For the second year running, Hamilton started on pole position at the Albert Park circuit and placed second. Last year, he lost to then Mercedes teammate Nico Rosberg, who went on to edge him for the world championship before retiring. This time, Vettel took the lead when Hamilton pitted for new tires on lap 18 and then got stuck in traffic behind Red Bull driver Max Verstappen.
Vettel was able to pit much later and gradually build up his lead as Hamilton drove conservatively on older tires to ensure he finished the race.
“That’s motor racing,” Hamilton said of the hold-up, adding it was his decision to pit and change tires. “A big congratulations to Sebastian and Ferrari.