Veliki intervju:
SonntagsBlick: Congratulations on a great first season with Ferrari. Three wins, 13 podiums and finished third.
Sebastian Vettel: I think it was a great year. But if one before the end of the season has a few races the opportunity to fight for the world title, it's also a little bitter if it is not enough. But we must never forget so, what was said ten months ago - and what you expected.
What were your goals?
Due to the fact that everything was new, I had honestly not really serious goals or expectations. It's much easier if you know your environment, and then know what you did last year and where you want to increase. But that no longer exists in this case, yes everything.
A leap into the unknown?
You can say that. I knew that the 2014 season was not easy for Ferrari. Of course, with the fact that very many changes took place and staffed lot was newly regulated. And then equal to a podium in the first and a victory in the second race. That gave the team a lot of tailwind - and has taken out the pressure. Thus, we could concentrate on the work. Until the finale in Abu Dhabi this worked excellent, we had a very good and calm atmosphere. So of course the best possible conditions for the preparations for 2016. For this purpose also motivates the laughter and joy of the mechanics in the garages.
Did you like Ferrari last winter made a requirement for a season without winning?
I personally do not. I think as a driver you need no instructions. You always want to bring out the best. It was clear that the team wants to increase significantly - and we succeeded.
A fourth victory in Abu Dhabi would have been super. Then your boss Maurizio Arrivabene should have keep his promise - 100 kilometers to walk barefoot through hell.
Yes, that would have been great. I do not know - through hell, but certainly by Italy. And there is currently so cold.
The chief in the snow - a great Christmas present for all employees in Maranello.
Exactly. We actually used this season, all chances for a win. In Abu Dhabi this was after the unsuccessful qualifying unfortunately not the case.
Since you are drawn with four titles from Red Bull to Italy, they were almost closed in their hearts of many former critics among fans and the media now.
This is of course nice to hear. For yourself matters is that you can be satisfied with its own merits. On average, I may be. The last year at Red Bull was not as bad as it wanted to carry out some people. For them, it is now perhaps important that Vettel has slipped over another garment and is thus returned to winning ways.
How painful were in recent years, the whistles and the negative comments - even after 38 victories with Red Bull?
Singapore in 2013 with my victory was certainly a low point. It was one of those days where I felt that my performance has fully tuned. And then the feedback to be booed, of course, was not beautiful. I think that like any athlete. But it was already often the case that a driver with a team to win a lot - and not so well received by the people. In Monza the whistles against me as a Red Bull drivers were almost normal.
Hamilton is known for strange statements. Now he said that one of the Vettel really can not correctly assess, because he has never had a strong teammates...
As pleased indeed my ex-teammates to hear this. I do not know in the end are those comparisons between drivers always very difficult to estimate.
What do you say to your current partner Kimi Raikkonen?
Well, Ferrari builds two cars. One moves of Kimi, the other just me!
Ferrari is a childhood dream, a labor of love for each driver - and also a challenge. Remember? On the first working visit to Maranello
A factory visit was not. The doors were closed even for us. But always in the winter we went to Italy Kart - and then have my parents and I Poked sometimes in Maranello. In 1997 we were lucky to have had just the Michael drove - and suddenly howled the Formula 1 engine. Since I am of course climbed over the fence, but I was not the only one.
Since when actually consisted of contact with the largest team of Formula 1?
Actually, after the race at Monza in 2008 when I won in the Toro Rosso. Since there was a meeting with the former team boss Domenicali. Then the subject was on ice, because I drove for Red Bull. Serious discussions with Ferrari, there was only years later. 2012-2013.
Where you have signed your contract for millions of the next three years in winter 2014? A manager was so sure no one here, because you never had a.
That must have been in a café in Bologna!
How good your knowledge of Italian have become? They thank after the races always by radio in Italian for the team or sing your race engineer sometimes a birthday song.
This is fun. The skills are better, but as far as learning the vocabulary, I have let the matter grind something. I have to catch up a lot over the winter and re-engage a teacher.
If one wants a Ferrari driver does not drive a Ferrari and privately, to proudly show friends and fans, here comes the Vettel?
Yes, I have one too. But I do not get every day from the garage him yes. I may be only a fair-weather riders!
The model and the color?
A black 458er.
How hard has it there as a German to become popular in Italy? The name Michael Schumacher will indeed still haunted by the Red Sheds ...
Yes, he does. And I think that's a good thing. Not only he, other Ferrari driver from earlier, keep the myth in Maranello high. This is what distinguishes Ferrari ebony. The ancient times there are not forgotten.
With now 42 wins and 4 titles you are currently 49 achievements and 3 championship trophies behind your role model Michael. Are such hunts ever a realistic goal?
That's not even half of his victories yes. One goal rather not know. That's all so far away. If there would be times only five wins, do you perhaps thought. So in these statistics, I invite me safely to the lowest pressure.
How many times have your friend Michael since skiing accident months ago over 23 already visited?
This is a very personal matter and is nobody's business. Wish Like millions of his fans around the world and I told him of course, a good recovery.
Do you actually know how he is doing now? His health is almost as secret as your privacy. In this relationship, you draw back a step, the family remains your most valuable asset. Even more than the number of your children is speculation.
If you privately up the word in the dictionary, you get the clear definition! I can of course understand that the interest is in a time when almost everyone reveals his private life since. But my private life is mine. This has nothing to do with arrogance.
However, even the number of your children is not known.
The one can write, Everybody knows that. But I have people who I do not know, say that I have children? Certainly not!
And the civil status?
(Vettel laughs and shows both his ringless hands) So never married, two children.
So then run something like a wild marriage?
No!
The two Brazilian former world champion Emerson Fittipaldi and Nelson Piquet have seven children. With them, you want to hardly compete ...
This is not as fast. I do not think so. But the two have indeed cheated. With more women and mothers.
Ellighausen in Thurgau therefore remains your haven of bliss and relaxation. How often do you travel by bike - or you go to the mountains?
I drive a lot of bike, walk through the area - and enjoy being able to walk in the fresh air. In winter, perhaps less, because it's too cold. But I ride very much like skiing.
What have you bought in the supermarket as a last resort in Kreuzlingen?
A Ovo drink, but that's already advertising ...
The old maxim of Enzo Ferrari should spur even more in 2016: The best car we build at Ferrari, is always the next one!
He still has carved out other great wisdom. Too bad that I have never met this great man.
After this almost golden season your goal for next year to be considered noisy world title?
Gilded is a season until the world title comes to Maranello. So must clearly be our goal. There is a team that is ahead of us. We want to propose at the same time let the other rivals further behind us.
Red Bull is in crisis, leaves in 2016 with a Renault engine, which might get a different name. You have probably chosen the dropping of the Bulls family the end of 2014 at the right time.
In retrospect, one can say that. But at that time it was a leap into the unknown, because Red Bull was still the second-strongest. But I think this season has not gone well for them. You have currently very difficult. I can be happy with my decision.
Make yourself the most pressure?
Yes, I would say. I am very ambitious.
The discussions do not break off. Constant is discussed on overtaking. Depends also of the routes from?
A difficult balancing act. They want that a driver is characterized by overtaking. On the other hand you want more overtaking. It is important that you do not lose the quality - and simply drives past the front man. This is boring. I think if you look at the races today, it has already been a lot more action than ten or twenty years ago. Now that you want to create artificially more, think and I hope not.
Here you have overtaken in Abu Dhabi by 29 cars, as you had to start from last place.
That should do it, or not? That was three years ago. But there is of course on who you overtake. Is it just one or two tenths quicker, it's almost impossible, unless the driver in front makes a mistake. That was 30 years ago. I think you can argue with Jackie Stewart for hours, how many times he was one tenth faster and not elude the enemy!
You're a racer who looks beyond the boundaries of Formula 1 racing. How oppressive is the refugee drama that your home has a stranglehold on Germany? For you
I think the problem applies to all of Europe. I'm not a politician, but that's all in the next few years, the biggest task, which is to be mastered. There is indeed no alternatives. I have been following the whole thing with voltage on TV or in the newspapers. That's world history.
Paris was in 2015 for the second time target of terror. How do you deal with how informed you look?
I think so you go as a racer not differently than a normal person. Since they all are shocked. But what you discuss about it with friends and family, is something intimate. We were on that November 13 in Brazil - and suddenly there was a very strange mood. It was sad and also fell asleep like that.
Never be afraid that such a rampage times has the formula 1 in its sights?
No. But that's a tough question. At the end you have to live your life the way you want to live it. Some things one has it just not in our own hands. Chance, fate, bad luck. Anyone can call it whatever he wants.