Vettel unfazed by Italian media flack

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Ferrari and Sebastian Vettel have fallen short so far of their 2016 objectives, and when the going gets tough at the Scuderia the Italian media takes aim.

The German recently entered the latter's line of fire as it channeled part of its criticism at the four-time world champion, suggesting that perhaps Vettel has "lost his talent".

But the Ferrari driver remains unimpressed, vowing to hunker down with the Scuderia in the expectancy of better days.

"The first headlines were 'Vettel is not so bad', so I think it will continue to go up and down with the media," said the German.

"It's just proof of how highly the team is valued in Italy. On a bad day, the coverage is fierce, but that is because of how Ferrari is valued in Italy.

"Nothing against Mercedes, but I don't think that every German is automatically a Mercedes fan. But Ferrari is a way of life."

While weathering a media storm may be a nuisance, according to Vettel, he also admitted drawing motivation from the plight.

"On bad days it's a burden but on good days it gives you an incredible boost. Of course we are not happy with our performance so far, but that cannot be changed overnight.

"Many people read newspapers, but more importantly is how we deal with it internally. If the criticism is fair, we have to live with it, but it's also true that many little things are totally inflated."

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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.