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Vettel 'has got his mojo back' - Horner

ESPN Staff
May 15, 2014 « Monaco Red Bull's opportunity to beat Mercedes - Vettel | Another 'big step forward' from Lotus - Maldonado »
Christian Horner thinks Sebastian Vettel is starting to get to grips with the RB10 © Sutton Images
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Christian Horner thinks Sebastian Vettel's performance in Spain shows the world champion is getting his 2013 confidence back after a challenging start to the current season.

Vettel's weekend was hampered by issues from FP1 onwards and he ended up taking a five-place penalty on the grid for a gearbox change, leaving him facing the prospect of battling through the field from 15th. After struggling with the RB10 so far Vettel turned in his drive of the season as he carved through the field to fourth, and Horner feels like the German is starting to move towards the level of comfort behind the wheel which made him so unstoppable in 2013.

"Sebastian, not just with Mark but the rest of the field, was just clearly a step ahead [in 2013]," Horner said. "His confidence was high and he was on the crest of the wave and then you can walk on water. He had the feeling from the car, everything was going for him and that is what he's been searching for with RB10.

"I think [in Barcelona], you could see in the race the recovery drive that he had, with the fastest lap and the way he hunted down the Ferraris it looked like he got his mojo back. It was a great performance by Seb, he really went for it.

"He passed pretty much everywhere except from the conventional place at the end of the straight. He made the strategy work for him and knew he had to make the strategy work for him and I thought it was a fantastic drive."

Horner spent the last five years at Red Bull trying to avoid all-out war between Vettel and Mark Webber, but he thinks Mercedes is more than capable of keeping Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg on the same page this season.

"[Hamilton is] doing a super job but if Rosberg can get his qualifying together then he's going to give him a hard time for sure. Every team is slightly different and it's like any sport, it all comes down to the mental strength of the drivers and what they do on track. I'm sure most teams now have the philosophy now of giving the drivers the same kit and the same chance and then let them do what they can with it on the track."

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