Vettel "at peace" ahead of Aston Martin "journey"

Sebastian Vettel has said he is "at peace" ahead of his first season with new team Aston Martin.

Speaking at the launch of Aston Martin's first Formula 1 car since 1960, Vettel declared he is excited to begin the new chapter of his career in the sport after ending a six-year stint with Ferrari.

Despite believing regulatory changes, including the introduction of a budget cap, will strengthen the position of his new team, the four-time champion did warn that Aston Martin is at the start of a journey and will not "arrive tomorrow".

"There is a lot of work ahead," said Vettel, who will drive the new car for the first time on Thursday at Silverstone in a filming day.

Speaking in a select media session that included GPFans Global, Vettel added: “Obviously, the team is growing and I think the last year, and this year, are very exciting for the team.

"This year, in particular, to relaunch Aston Martin and bring it back onto the grid, to be part of that but also F1 is changing, bringing in the budget cap, so obviously that is all stuff that is coming our way if you compare historically to the big teams.

“It’s a journey I think that everybody is very excited to embark on but obviously, we are not expecting to arrive tomorrow.

“If we do I don’t think anybody minds but it’s not going to be that easy so it is a lot of work.

"But I’m looking forward to just getting in the car and being myself, being happy and, I think, having a good time and if that is the case then the results will follow, whatever that means."

Last year, whilst his new team, then Racing Point, was battling for podiums and even a race victory on one occasion, Vettel spent the majority of the season battling outside of the points.

His return of just 33 points was the worst of his F1 career - then team-mate Charles Leclerc one point shy of scoring three times the German's total - but Vettel claims to have made peace with his lacklustre Ferrari swansong.

"It was a challenge and I think, obviously, I thought about this a lot at the time last year during the season and I’m obviously not happy with how last year went in terms of performance, not entirely my performance," he added.

“But I think I accepted in terms of, I have been living through it and I don’t have any regrets.

"Obviously, there are things that didn’t go well, things I would have liked to go better and differently and so on, but ultimately I’m very much looking forwards to this year.

“So, I am very much at peace with last year and I know that it hasn’t been to the standard that I mostly hold myself [to]. I never really care what people think, say or write.

“That is why I think it is important I am at peace with that myself and I am very much looking forward to this year.”

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