INTERVIEW: Winning addict Vettel needs time for himself

By Christian Hollmann Oct 14, 2011, 9:16 GMT

Yeongam, South Korea - Sebastian Vettel names winning addictive but also needs some time for himself to let his second Formula One world title sink in.

Vettel, 24, told the German Press Agency dpa in an exclusive interview ahead of Sunday's Korean Grand Prix that nothing beats the feeling of standing atop a podium.

The Red Bull driver Vettel became the youngest world champion in F1 last year and is now also the youngest to repeat. He dominated the season from the outset and clinched the 2011 title on Sunday in Japan.

Vettel celebrated the title with his team but also admitted to confusion after the latest heroics.

'What I meant was that it is very confusing to switch away from the mode you are in all year. To concentrate on the moment and perceive each race as an individual step. And then to switch and to realize that you have achieved the final goal you set for yourself at the beginning of the year,' Vettel said.

'It takes time to realize that no one can take it away from you. Not so much the time to celebrate with your people. I rather need the time with the people closest to me, or time on my own, to understand it all and to let it sink in.'

Vettel has had little time to reflect on a remarkable season in which he has so far won nine races, finished second four times, and third and fourth once piece. There are four races left until the offseason which Red Bull will use to clinch the constructors' title and to start experimenting for 2012.

Vettel and his team have no intention of slowing down in the future, and some fear a hegemony similar to that of Ferrari and Michael Schumacher 2000-2004.

Vettel is reluctant to compare himself with his former idol Schumacher but told dpa about the thrill of winning.

'You can not describe it. It comes down to the feeling of standing on the podium. You know how much it takes on a race weekend to have everything come together so that you just get the chance to race from the front. If you then win the race, listen to the anthem, the masses gather as in Monza - that feeling is unbeatable,' Vettel said.

'It is addictive to cherish this moment after three days of hard work because the moment passes by so quickly. It is a thrill. Sometimes you can't soak up the full moment. That's why you want to do it over and over again, to take away a piece of it every time.'

Vettel readily admits that he has always had a winning mentality - 'I am annoyed when I am not in the winning team when we play football' - and that he sometimes finds it difficult as well to accept criticism.

'Criticism is important. I can be stubborn in some respect. Even if someone means no harm and simply wants to help me it can take me a little longer to understand that and to accept help. I want to do it on my own although it would probably be easier if I would listen to others,' Vettel said.

Vettel confirmed that there is no real friendship between Formula One drivers and that success in general also leads to envy.

However, he feels mature enough to make the right decisions and simply gets a satisfaction out of racing he has had no other sport or area.

Schumacher's records may be one aim for the future but Vettel is not the one to meticulously plan every step in his career.

'From a certain age onwards you are clever enough to realize that the red carpet isn't rolled out for you. But you can dream of what you want to achieve, and that is what I did. I imagined sitting in a car, racing and possibly winning,' Vettel said.

'But you live in the present which is much healthier. If you only look back you can't grasp what you have achieved. If you only look ahead you don't allow all the things to grasp and cherish to come close to you.

'You have to make plans in one way or another, but I am not the type for too much of that. I rather take things as they come.'

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