It is back to the drawing board for four-time Formula One world champion Sebastian Vettel after sensationally bombing out in Australian Grand Prix qualifying on Saturday.

In a major reality check, Vettel will start 12th on the grid for Sunday’s season opener at Albert Park after being upstaged in the wet by Australian teammate Daniel Ricciardo who brought the crowd to their feet by qualifying second fastest on Red Bull debut.

Vettel had looked to have overcome reliability problems and a lack of pace that troubled both Red Bull drivers during pre-season testing when he was fourth fastest in Friday’s final practice session.

However, Vettel appeared no closer to resolving his Renault-powered vehicle’s dramas when he failed to feature in the third and final qualifying session in Melbourne – the first time he had missed the top 10 shootout since China in 2012.

“It is disappointing because the car seemed to be very good yesterday,” Vettel said.

“I was struggling a little bit more, especially in the wet conditions.

“Basically I struggled for driveability, for control.

“For some reason we have lost that overnight so we need to understand why that happened.

“We’ve had these conditions like this before but I was struggling for some reason.”

Vettel initially clocked the 13th fastest time but will start from 12th after a reshuffle caused by 10th quickest Valtteri Bottas of Williams copping a five grid spot penalty for a gearbox change.

Vettel won’t need to look far for inspiration after Ricciardo’s heroics in his first F1 race replacing compatriot Mark Webber.

“I think the car has potential. Danny is showing what it can do. He puts the car where it belongs,” Vettel said.

It seemed only something special would snap Vettel’s F1 dominance in 2014.

Formula One was at serious risk of becoming boring after Vettel snared his fourth title in 2013 with three races to go.

At Melbourne, Vettel had been hoping to set a new record of 10 straight F1 race victories.

But few would have predicted the impact a raft of radical new technical rules would have on Vettel’s Red Bull team.

No one was writing off Vettel due to Red Bull’s vast experience, wealth and capabilities.

However, clearly Vettel won’t be having it all his own way in 2014 judging by his humbling qualifying experience on Saturday.