Sebastian Vettel (5) Support

[darwin dali]

Autosport.com:

Retired double world champion Mika Hakkinen believes that Sebastian Vettel is driving with more confidence in 2011 now that he has a drivers' title under his belt.

Vettel has won two of the first three races and finished second in last weekend's Chinese Grand Prix, which has given him a 19-point lead in this year's championship over Lewis Hamilton.

Hakkinen, who secured back-to-back titles for McLaren in 1998 and '99, says that the assurance that being a world champion brings will assist Vettel in his quest to emulate that achievement.

"Of course the world championship gives you confidence," said the Finn in an exclusive interview he gave to AUTOSPORT during an appearance at Goodwood, where he was working as an ambassador for drinks company Johnnie Walker's 'Step Inside the Circuit' campaign.

"It really gives you confidence. You know you have done it. You've won a title. It's no longer a weight on your shoulders. So now you can focus on the details.

"Then it becomes very enjoyable, you start calculating a little bit, it is really good fun. Other guys are suspecting and wondering how, but you know exactly how it works.

"That allows your pressure level, what you can take in terms of pressure, to be much higher than others. Because you understand things that other people have yet to experience.

The 42-year-old cautioned however that being world champion comes with the price of more demands being made outside the cockpit - but added that the sport is now very different to the one he quit at the end of 2001.

"The amount of marketing work I did after '98 was just horrendous," he said. "That is guaranteed if you win the championship. I think for me it was harder because I had so much work. After '98 there was all the marketing work, all the testing work.

"You are not allowed to test [mid-season] these days, but marketing work is a bit different than it used to be so you burn much more physical and mental power through that."

[vlad]

Mika is Mika!

[The Ram]

As soon as the Mclaren is close enough to fight for pole - goldie boy will be shown up like the 3rd tier driver he is. Left in the dust!

[vlad]

Keep hoping...

[F1er]

Keep dreaming...

[vlad]

Well, keep being jelaous!

[nish2280]

I bet even if Mclaren do get a car as good as RedBull their fans will just claim that the car is still bad its just that the talent of their drivers is strong enough to make it seem faster.

[FRAFPDD]

I bet even if Mclaren do get a car as good as RedBull their fans will just claim that the car is still bad its just that the talent of their drivers is strong enough to make it seem faster.

Do you mind if i ask you to clean off all that tar youve covered me in !

[F1er]

I bet even if Mclaren do get a car as good as RedBull their fans will just claim that the car is still bad its just that the talent of their drivers is strong enough to make it seem faster.

It is.Vettel's quali time was 7/10s faster and after Vettel got jumped on the start he never tried a move on Lewis in the 1st stint. Thats why I rate Vettel low,he cant win if he aint leading by 10 secs.

[vlad]

Are you insane? He overtook Lewis on first stint!

[F1er]

Are you insane? He overtook Lewis on first stint!

No he didn't

[acosmichippo]

Actually I think he did. I believe it was a DRS overtake.

[vlad]

Of course he did, don't mind that Vettel-hater there...

[F1er]

Whats to hate about Vettel?

[F1er]

Actually I think he did. I believe it was a DRS overtake.

Button didn't pit when called missing the pit window,leaving Lewis out to dry even Massa passed him after that.