Sebastian Vettel feels 'the spirit is right' at Ferrari

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Sebastian Vettel says Ferrari heads into the new season embodied with the "right spirit" after addressing the weaknesses it faced in 2018.

The Italian outfit has emerged as the clear favourite to take top spoils in Melbourne after its SF90 outpaced its rivals in pre-season testing.

But changes at the helm of the Scuderia, where former technical director Mattia Binotto had replaced Maurizio Arrivabene as team principal, have also instilled a productive new atmosphere in the team's environment.

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"It’s a big change but Mattia has been with the team longer than most of the people that work for Ferrari so he is not a new face," said Vettel who has followed his tradition of naming his designated car at the start of the season, dubbing his 2019 contender 'Lena'.

"I think people know him and have learned to trust him. For sure it’s a new challenge for the whole team.

"We try to turn the page - we obviously had our weaknesses last year and we tried to fix those and do much better this year.

"So far the spirit is right and the team is on track, the car feels good, so let’s see how we start here."

Binotto concurred with his star driver, insisting the Scuderia's troops had taken away the lessons from their defeat in 2018.

"We did our homework during the winter and we are now all focused on the season," said the Swiss engineer.

"It’s always nice to start here in Australia but it will be a very long and tough season, so just being focused."

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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.