Vettel breaks Ferrari drought with opening win

Mercedes hopes extending dominance dashed

Japanese yokozuna, or grand champion, Kisenosato (top), throws Mongolian Terunofuji out of the ring during a

playoff of the Spring Grand Sumo Tournament in Osaka, western Japan on March 26. (AP) MELBOURNE, Australia, March 26, (AP): 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. Ferrari driver Sebastian Vettel of Germany holds up his winner’s trophy following the Australian Formula One Grand Prix in Melbourne, Australia on March 26. (AP)