Vettel: First experience of Ferrari was 'magical'

Sebastian Vettel described his first experience of working with Ferrari as 'magical' after completing his first laps of Fiorano as part of a comprehensive introductory session with his new team.

On top of racking up nearly 100 laps in a two-year old F2012 on Ferrari's bespoke test circuit on Saturday, Vettel devoted the entirety of Sunday to simulator work in a virtual F14 T, and also had meetings with senior figures including Ferrari chairman Sergio Marchionne, the F1 team's new managing director and team principal Maurizio Arrivabene, and technical chief James Allison.

"Obviously it's been a fantastic day to come here," Vettel told Ferrari's official website. "There are a lot of fairy tales about Ferrari and how it feels to drive a red car. In the end I can only confirm these fairytales.

"It's not just a story, it's a true legend that exists and it feels really, really special to become part of that, and to be inside the car, to see the people coming, running to the track and trying to climb the walls to see the car. There is definitely something very magical - and something that happened today which I will never forget."

Vettel, who ran in a white helmet bearing the slogan 'il mio Primo giorno in Ferrari' ('my first day in Ferrari'), said the test brought back memories of when he had visited the Scuderia's home town in his youth.

"I was here a long time ago as a little child, driving through Maranello and trying to look over the fence and trying to see a glimpse of Michael [Schumacher] running on the track. Well today I was the one running and saw the tifosi around.

"To be here officially as part of the team felt fantastic. Obviously it's a very different colour for me - everybody is dressed in red, everything is red - but it's really something special and I'm very much looking forward to the challenge that we took on for the next years."