Lewis Hamilton, the current champion, and Rosberg had been all but untouchable, but Vettel has breathed new life into Formula One after rediscovering his mojo to top the podium for the first time since his last win for Red Bull in 2013. PHOTO: AFP /FILE
SHANGHAI: After their ill-advised goading of Formula One rivals Ferrari, the message for Mercedes before this weekend's Chinese Grand Prix is clear: be careful what you wish for.
What began as banter, with Nico Rosberg inviting Sebastian Vettel to a Mercedes debrief in Malaysia, ended with red faces as Vettel roared to his first win for Ferrari.
Whether Ferrari can land another sucker-punch in Shanghai in far cooler conditions remains to be seen, but Vettel looks a man transformed after proving the Mercedes can be beaten.
The four-time world champion bristled at Rosberg's claim, after an untroubled Mercedes one-two at the season-opener in Australia, that he wanted Ferrari to push Mercedes harder, and made his fellow German pay for his cockiness.
Lewis Hamilton, the current champion, and Rosberg had been all but untouchable, but Vettel has breathed new life into Formula One after rediscovering his mojo to top the podium for the first time since his last win for Red Bull in 2013.
Having won 16 of 19 races last year, there was considerable fear that the Silver Arrows would power away again this season, until Vettel's heroics ended Ferrari's 34-race drought to permit cautious optimism after a prolonged period of navel-gazing.
However, Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff insisted there was no cause for alarm, despite the unexpected challenge from Ferrari. "It was a wake-up call," he said. "Our opposition has raised its game but we have the weapons at our disposal. There is no panic."
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