Mercedes may have taken home all the glory from the Spanish Grand Prix, but Sebastian Vettel’s driving display went a long way toward repairing the four-time champion’s reputation after his struggles this season.

Problems with his car’s wiring and transmission plagued Vettel through practice and qualifying in Montmelo.

Yet once Red Bull’s mechanics provided Vettel with a reliable car, the German showed few can match his skill behind the wheel.

Vettel wove his way up from a 15th-place start to finish fourth just behind new Australian teammate Daniel Ricciardo, livening up an otherwise dull contest until Lewis Hamilton held off Mercedes partner Nico Rosberg at the end.

Red Bull team boss Christian Horner described it as a “fantastic comeback drive.”

And did Vettel ever need it.

After winning 13 of 19 races in 2013 to claim his fourth straight title, Vettel has only reached the podium once this season and has finished the last three races behind Ricciardo.

Sunday’s display of passing technique, combined with a smart team strategy and smooth pit stops, indicated that he is still a force to be reckoned with when his car holds up.

The 26-year-old used some audacious driving to steer by 11 rivals after starting way down the grid because a faulty gearbox left him stranded during qualifying and earned him a five-place penalty.

Ricciardo was the first to acknowledge he was impressed by Vettel’s drive.

“I just sort of heard on the radio that he was making progress through the field,” he said.

“I definitely see it as a positive for the team, third and fourth, particularly after his starting position. All the talk about Seb, I’m sure that was going to pass very soon and he’ll get to his world champion form.”

Ricciardo, followed by Vettel, crossed the finish line at the Barcelona-Catalunya circuit a full 48 seconds after Rosberg.

Hamilton and Rosberg’s fourth consecutive one-two finish gave Mercedes a commanding lead in the constructors championship with 197 points to Red Bull’s 84.