Vettel: Unbelievable day "close to perfection"
Sebastian Vettel has lauded his Ferrari Formula 1 team for an "unbelievable" first day of pre-season testing that he said was "very close to perfection".

Vettel topped the opening day of the first Barcelona test by four tenths of a second and also completed more laps (169) than any other driver.
He declared himself "very happy" on Monday evening and said Ferrari's new car is "doing what I want".
Asked by Motorsport.com if he could have hoped for a first day like that, the four-time world champion replied: "Honestly no.
"It was unbelievable, I think the car was working really well. We had no issues slowing us down, we actually completed the programme just the way we wanted.
"We were able to squeeze a little bit more out even."
Vettel joked that he was "still a bit rusty" as his shakedown of the SF90 on Sunday marked his first laps behind the wheel since the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix at the end of last November.
He said he intended to be "taking my time" on the first day but "I didn't need much time, the car was making it quite straightforward for me".
Read Also:
While Vettel is not getting carried away by topping the first of eight days of testing he hailed Ferrari for how well prepared it was.
"Obviously it's very early, the first day, and it's meaningless in a couple of weeks," he admitted.
"But for now I think huge compliments to everyone back at the factory.
"How they tackled the new rules and regulations and what they put on track today is very close to perfection in the first day of driving: the amount of laps we did, how the team was handling the car.
"Everything is more on the edge compared to last year's car, tighter and so on, what you would imagine.
[But] no major dramas, so from that point of view [the team is] very well prepared."

Sebastian Vettel, Ferrari SF90
Photo by: Glenn Dunbar / LAT Images

Previous article
Honda's 2019 engine "a thing of beauty," says Red Bull
Next article
Renault updates revealed on first day of testing

About this article
Series | Formula 1 |
Event | Barcelona February testing |
Drivers | Sebastian Vettel |
Teams | Ferrari |
Author | Scott Mitchell |
Vettel: Unbelievable day "close to perfection"
Is Red Bull Hiding the Real RB16B? | F1 2021
Sergio Perez's First Drive With Red Bull Racing
Alfa Romeo C41 and Alfa Romeo C39 Compared
Say Hello To The RB16B | Unveiling Our 2021 Car
The pros and cons of F1's 2021 rule changes
In the strategy for grand prix racing's future, 2021 represents a significant step towards the goal of closer racing and a more level playing field. That's the theory behind the latest raft of changes, but will they have the desired effect?
What Red Bull is trying to hide with its RB16B launch
Red Bull made no secret of the fact its 2021 F1 car is an evolution of its predecessor, but in keeping the same foundations while hiding some tightly-guarded updates with its RB16B, the team aims to avoid suffering the same pitfalls of previous years
How Albon plans to fight his way out of Red Bull limbo
Alex Albon has faced the media for the first time since he lost his Red Bull drive at the end of 2020 and dropped out of a Formula 1 race seat altogether. He has a history of bouncing back from setbacks, so here's what he must do to rise again
Ranked! Carlin's greatest F1 graduates
Carlin has helped guide enough drivers to Formula 1 to fill out an entire grid, plus a handful of reserves, to create a remarkable alumni list. With Yuki Tsunoda set to join that group, Motorsport.com has ranked its graduates to grace the grand prix scene...
Why Alfa's 2021 launch says more about its 2022 plans
Alfa Romeo launched its C41 with a revised front nose, but there's little to suggest it will surge up the leaderboard in 2021. As the team frankly admits, it's putting its eggs in the basket labelled 2022 and hoping to hold the eighth place it earned last year
Why Gasly’s AlphaTauri haven is a blessing and a curse
Red Bull opted not to re-sign Pierre Gasly even before it decided to drop Alex Albon and so the Frenchman's Formula 1 journey will continue at AlphaTauri. This has positive and negative connotations for one of last season's star performers.
Eight things Red Bull must do to beat Mercedes in 2021
After seven years of defeat at the hands of Mercedes, Red Bull is as hungry as ever to secure a fifth world championship. But there are key challenges it must overcome in 2021 to switch from challenger to conqueror
How AlphaTauri has adapted to F1's new rules
AlphaTauri launched its AT02, complete with a new livery, as it bids to home in on an already-tight midfield battle. Although there were few outright new parts displayed on the launch render, there might be a few clues into further changes down the line…