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Impatient Vettel eager to get into new car

Sebastian Vettel has the world title on his mind as he counts down the days until he can jump into Red Bull’s new Formula One car.

The RB6 was launched in Spain on Wednesday but Germany’s Vettel, second in the drivers’ standings last term, must wait until Friday for a drive after the team skipped the first test session of the year in Valencia last week to fine-tune the car.

‘I had a hard time during the winter and now I had to wait another week,’ Vettel laughingly told reporters as team mate Mark Webber sped off for his two days of tests before handing over to the 22-year-old German.

‘It’s not nice to wait but at least I like listening to the cars.’

When Vettel became the youngest F1 race winner at Monza with Toro Rosso in 2008 he was dubbed ‘Baby Schumi’ by the media.

His great form last year and the emergence of seven-times world champion Michael Schumacher from retirement mean the tag is now trailing in Vettel’s 300 kph wake.

Vettel bizarrely called his own car ‘Kate’s Dirty Sister’ last year and the striking look of this season’s Red Bull, with a shark fin engine cover, could prompt another memorable moniker.

He is unperturbed by any new names the F1 world might give him and played down Schumacher’s return in a Mercedes.

‘I don’t care if the press calls me a star. I think there are going to be more rivals than just Michael,’ said Vettel, who was 11 points behind world champion Jenson Button last year.

‘I don’t even need to think about it for a second. My goal is to be world champion.’

While biding his time, Vettel has been making sure he feels settled in the car.

‘I got a new chair,’ he remarked when comparing his refined driver’s seat to a comfortable office sofa.

On Friday, he can finally get to work.