Vettel: 2018 should be a 'walk in the park'

Sebastian Vettel has joked that the next Formula One season should be 'a walk in the park' for Ferrari if the Scuderia continue to make significant improvements like they have done this year, in a campaign where the German finished second in the championship behind Lewis Hamilton.

Vettel was involved in a pre-race press conference for the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix alongside Daniel Ricciardo and Lewis Hamilton, and was confident when asked by a reporter if Ferrari would be improved next season, while joking that it would be easy in 2018.

“Well I think if we can do a similar step for next year and…don’t get me wrong, it’s a joke and Germans don’t like to joke so much, it should be a walk in the park.

“What I want to say by that is the steps made this year have been incredible. The way the team came out with a competitive car at the beginning, the way we have improved both chassis, engine has been outstanding.

“It has been close for most of the year but not close enough when it mattered. From that, we have made our conclusions, learned our lessons so that will help us next year."

Despite leading for a time in the championship rankings this season, Vettel endured a torrid time in the Asian leg of the campaign which allowed Hamilton to swoop and eventually become champion at the Mexico GP. The season overall seems to have been both good and bad for Vettel, as he goes on to describe it as both 'bitter' and 'positive'.

“We are completely fired up," he added.

"It has been bitter but I think it has been positive that we have had a couple of races [this year] to approach and look forward to next season.”

“That final step is always the hardest but the team is ready. We have some good things in the pipeline.”