Vettel looking forward to ‘turning everything off’

Sebastian Vettel is looking forward to some much needed down time this winter to recharge his batteries after an “exhausting” 2018 campaign.

The Ferrari driver’s efforts yielded five wins this year, and while he gave arch-rival Lewis Hamilton a good run for his money until the end of the summer, the German failed once again to bring the title back to the House of Maranello.

A blend of personal mistakes and team errors undermined his season, and have left Vettel drained and worn-out.

Hamilton and Vettel cap off season with helmet swap

“We’ve got some events coming but things that I look forward to, after this year, to be very honest, is to turn everything off,” he said in Abu Dhabi.

“I need some time for myself. It has been a quite difficult and exhausting year for me. I definitely need a bit of a gap.

“I’m pretty sure, based on the last winters, that very soon, usually after 111 days, I’m very, very hungry again for the next race.”

Vettel hasn’t concocted any elaborate plans to regroup in the coming months, the four-time world champion just seeking to enjoy a normal laid-back life at home.

“Just enjoy home,” he said. “Enjoy my family, friends, do stuff that you don’t usually have much time for, some DIY, do some fixing at home. Small jobs.”

©WRI