Vettel ready to resume winning ways

According to revitalised Ferrari driver Sebastian Vettel, the 2015 Formula One season is all about Eva.

The German maestro has kept up his tradition of naming his vehicles by christening his new Ferrari “Eva” ahead of the season opener in Melbourne on Sunday.

But it seems he is also determined to maintain another trend – winning.

Four-time world champion Vettel appeared a shadow of himself last season at Red Bull after being upstaged by new teammate Daniel Ricciardo.

Yet Vettel has not only impressed at his first meeting for Ferrari at Albert Park – he is also daring to dream of joining the dominant Mercedes team on the Melbourne podium on Sunday.

“I think the podium is a realistic goal and that’s what we have to aim for,” Vettel said.

That is easier said than done – Mercedes’ defending world champion Lewis Hamilton claimed a record-breaking fourth pole position at Albert Park on Saturday, six-tenths of a second faster than teammate Nico Rosberg.

It was a Mercedes one-two in qualifying for the ninth consecutive race.

Hamilton’s time was 1.4 seconds faster than third-placed Felipe Massa of Williams.

And it was the 12th straight pole position for Mercedes, moving the team into equal fourth place on the all-time list.

Yet Vettel’s almost forgotten cheeky smile was again there for all to see ahead of the season opener despite being pipped for third spot on the grid by a last gasp effort by Massa on Saturday.

“We are very happy where we are right now,” said the German.

“We confirmed that we are very close with Williams so we will see what we can do in the race.”

Vettel had been seen as the man who could revitalise Ferrari just as seven time world champion Michael Schumacher did.

Fellow German Schumacher won five of his titles after linking with the Prancing Horse stable in 1996.

Vettel signed with Ferrari despite the team failing to win a race in 2014 – the first time the famous team had endured the dubious honour since 1993.

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