Vettel in search of 'ultimate satisfaction' with Ferrari

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It wouldn't get any better this year than winning the F1 world championship with Ferrari and beating Lewis Hamilton reckons Sebastian Vettel.

After giving his arch rival a run for his money for the better part of 2017, Vettel's title bid collapsed late in the season following a disastrous spell of unreliability.

This year, he'll be lining up on the grid with the bit between his teeth, determined to inflict defeat on a man who, like him, is now a four-time world champion and deliver to the House of Maranello its first title since 2008.

Achieving that milestone would represent the "ultimate satisfaction" for the German driver.

"I am searching for the ultimate satisfaction which is to win with Ferrari who are the greatest team in history and the greatest team in the paddock," Vettel said on Thursday.

"That is my ultimate target now, to win with Ferrari, and win against the best which arguably Lewis is one of them.

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"I think it is a privilege to prove yourself in F1 and be able to race in F1. Then I think when you get in [F1] all you want to do is win you don’t look at anything else," he added.

"Maybe afterwards when you look back you get a bit more perspective and open your horizons. I think then it becomes something special to win against the best."

Mercedes' outstanding track record in F1 since the advent of the hybrid era in 2014 has been the result of engineering excellence coupled with Hamilton's remarkable talent. Mounting a successful attack on the formidable pair would only underscore Ferrari and Vettel's merits.

“If I looked at the people I raced against it has always been the same people from karting, I didn’t race Lewis in karting but I was aware of him," he said.

"We met a little bit later in Formula 3 when he was a lot better than I was and ultimately then we met in F1.

"I think then you care more about who you race against and what is means as it gives you more satisfaction."

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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.