Despite winning the season opening race in Australia two weeks ago, Sebastian Vettel still believes the Mercedes AMG Petronas Formula One Team are the team to beat in 2017, and is keeping his own feet on the ground.
The Scuderia Ferrari driver took advantage of an earlier than planned pit stop for erstwhile race leader Lewis Hamilton in Australia to assume the lead, but feels that should they be around the pace of the Mercedes team at the Shanghai International Circuit, then they should be again around the front of the field.
Vettel feels there is good potential in the SF70H this season, and should they get a good set-up in China this weekend, then anything is possible.
“The real expectations we have is to try and do well,” said Vettel. “Good conditions and good luck will be important, as well as the set-up of the car.
“If we can be close to Mercedes that means we can be close to the top: we will just try to do well and then we will see what it will be.
“We are working better as a team and have improved from last year. We did very well in Australia, but that was only one race. Still, we have potential and can do better”.
