Vettel still aiming to dominate with Ferrari in the future

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Sebastian Vettel says that losing the world championship has taken nothing away from Ferrari's merits this season or hindered its desire to dominate F1.

After giving Mercedes and Lewis Hamilton a good run for its money in the first half of the season, Vettel and the Scdueria gradually lost momentum before seeing their title chances collapse over the course of a disastrous sequence of races in Asia.

Despite the disappointment, the German driver still casts a positive view on his and his team's season.

"I think it was very positive this year," said Vettel, who is contracted to Ferrari until 2020.

"Nobody expected Ferrari to be that strong, for us to be that strong.

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"We made the biggest step, there was a lot of talk about other people, but we were there from the start and also until the end – I think there are a lot of positives.

"Of course, if you miss out it sort of sucks, there's no other way, but you have to be fair as well."

The Scuderia last won the Constructors' title in 2008, while Kimi Raikkonen was the last driver to be crowned world champion at the wheel of a Ferrari.

Vettel sees the Italian squad's chances of returning to glory as intact given its progress and continued improvements.

"We hadn't been very competitive last year, we hadn't been very good developing the car, and we've made massive progress this year,' he added.

"Even if you look at the chance that maybe you missed, you have to give credit to all the people, to all the team for the step that we made.

"I think we can all feel that we're getting stronger, so hopefully we can carry that strength into the next couple of years, not just next year, not just the winter, but also the future.

"I think our objective is to bring Ferrari back properly, get there and dominate."

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Phillip van Osten

Motor racing was a backdrop from the outset in Phillip van Osten's life. Born in Southern California, Phillip grew up with the sights and sounds of fast cars thanks to his father, Dick van Osten, an editor and writer for Auto Speed and Sport and Motor Trend. Phillip's passion for racing grew even more when his family moved to Europe and he became acquainted with the extraordinary world of Grand Prix racing. He was an early contributor to the monthly French F1i Magazine, often providing a historic or business perspective on Formula 1's affairs. In 2012, he co-authored along with fellow journalist Pierre Van Vliet the English-language adaptation of a limited edition book devoted to the great Belgian driver Jacky Ickx. He also authored "The American Legacy in Formula 1", a book which recounts the trials and tribulations of American drivers in Grand Prix racing. Phillip is also a commentator for Belgian broadcaster Be.TV for the US Indycar series.