As Formula One’s youngest ever world champion, Sebastian Vettel has already made a huge impact in the sport – and now the RedBull star is eager to achieve even more.

F1: The winter is nearly over and the new season will be here soon. How do you feel about defending titles instead of attacking to win them?

SV:Well, it is true, it is different for us. It’s a difficult situation because last year we just said, “Let’s go for the title” – now we want to defend it. I think it will be a tough battle ahead – a long, hard fight.  Motivation is not a problem, but we need to focus again.  What we achieved makes us all very proud, and no-one can take it away fromus, so that’s a huge plus for the team. But, this year is a different story –we have to develop from how we were last year otherwise we will be taking a step back and others will pass us. That goes forme and for all the team.We have to stay focused, try to learn every day, to improve.  We have to move forward again.

F1: You were so busy and so visible after winning the title, but once that was over it seemed like you disappeared.Where did you go?

SV: [Laughing] Well, I had always planned to escape and lay low for the holiday season. I wanted to have a rest and enjoy myself. I did. It was great. I enjoyed it very much.  One of the essential needs before heading into a new Formula One season is to fully recharge your batteries to get a head start with the same tenacious verve that I ended 2010 with.  For the holidays, I was with the family and, at the beginning of February, I hit the slopes for skiing.  It was very relaxing and at the same time it added to my fitness. For the rest of the time I simply stayed home. I told many that I would go places, but the truth is I’ve spent time as a couch potato.  Over the last two weeks I started a severe training programme – and now I’m here to see if the car is as prepared as I am!

F1: Does it inspire you to be the defending champion?  Are you working harder than before?

SV: It is hard these days to domore of anything. For me, time is really scarce nowand that iswhy I took such a good holiday. You know, I need to develop a very tight regime that allows me to fulfil allmy commitments and at the same time enableme to keep my fitness level up.  The aim, of course, is to do more because I want to defend and I want to get better. Everyone knows that if you allow yourself to stand still, Formula One will punish you terribly. That goes for the physical fitness of a driver as well as for the technical development of your car. If you don’t go forwards you go backwards – especially in a highly competitive sport such as this one.  FormulaOne never forgives any backward movement. 

F1: How does it feel to be defending champion?  The number one on your car is a sign of your success…

SV: The honest truth? It feels really fantastic – and not only because of the number on the car.  To wake up every morning with a broad smile –wow!  And, you know, the longer time that the fact sunk in, the broader the smile got!  One of the moments when it absolutely dawned on me was when I picked up the championship trophy in Monaco before Christmas.  The trophy bears my name and should there be any doubt, all I have to do is look at the trophy to convincemyself that it’s no dream.  It makes you very proud, but then as a professional athlete you put aside all that vainness very quickly and concentrate again onyour core business.

F1:  You just mentioned your championship trophy – how many titles do you feel you want to win?

SV: [Laughing] Well, you know, when I received the trophy Iwas told that I would have to give it back at the end of this season. So, I think the only way to keep it is to win the championship again!  This trophy was for so many years part of Michael Schumacher’s household that I amsurewhen he had to give it back there was a faded spot on the wall!  I like that idea and I would like to experience the same.

F1: What are you first impressions of the new car, the RB7, now that you’ve had a chance to test it?

SV: I always find it very extraordinary that we’ve already won both championships with the car name at number six. This makes me very proud.  But, coming back to the question, the RB7 is an evolution of the RB6, so it feels prettymuch as last season. How good it is – and how good compared to the others –will probably only dawn on us for the first time in Bahrain, maybe at the last test there or even in the race.  But why shouldn’t we be on the same performance level as last season? There is nothing to be said against us being one of the hottest candidates for the titles again.  My running [in the first test] was very smooth and I would say it was a successful day without any issues at all.  It felt great to be back in the car and I was able to do 93 laps.  I think there was only one other guy whodid more. So yes, it’s been promising.

F1: Do you expect Fernando Alonso to be your biggest challenger?

SV: You always have to count on Fernando as being one of the top favourites, but you also must not disregard McLaren, or Mercedes, and, who knows, maybe an outsider has got it dead right and we will see some surprises this year.  What I want to say is that you have to bank on your own strength, but never lose trackof the others – insider or outsider alike!