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I don't have it easy - Vettel

Sebastian Vettel: "If he [Daniel Ricciardo] wins the championship next year then I will look pretty stupid" © Getty Images

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Sebastian Vettel insists his three world championships at Red Bull have not come easy and he is expecting an equally tough challenge when Daniel Ricciardo becomes his team-mate next year.

Vettel appears to be on his way to a fourth world title with Red Bull, but fans at some races this year have shown signs of frustration with his dominance by booing him on the podium. However, he says it would be wrong to deduce that his titles have come easy just because he has won more races than his rivals in recent years.

"There are some people who are tired of Red Bull winning, but we are not [tired] and we know there is no guarantee we will keep winning," he said. "We arrive here [in Singapore] and we know we have a strong package, but we have to work hard to be in the front and finish in a good position on the podium. Even though from the outside you can say we are on the podium all the time and winning races, every race was a new challenge and that's important that you remember how much hard work it was to get there in the first place."

He also denied that he is up against a weak team-mate in Mark Webber or that racing against Daniel Ricciardo will be any easier next year.

"Next year there will be a lot of new things but I think we should be a strong team," he said. "That's really what matters, but there are always theories that because you raced him or the other guy you will be better or worse. I think you can't please all these theories no matter who is working alongside you. I've had very tough competition with Mark and I think it's often been closer than it has looked from the outside. So I don't think I've had it easy and I won't have it easy in the future.

"Next year I'm sharing the team with Daniel. If he wins the championship then I will look pretty stupid, but equally he then deserves to win. The year after that would mean I'd be racing with a world champion in the team."

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.