Titles record in reach for still-hungry Sebastian Vettel

MICHAEL Schumacher says his compatriot wants to keep winning.

Sebastian Vettel

MICHAEL Schumacher says winning consecutive world drivers' championships will do little to dull Sebastian Vettel's appetite for more and he would be happy to see his fellow German one day beat his record of seven titles.

The winner of more championships and more races than any driver in Formula One history, Schumacher predicted yesterday Vettel's prodigious success would not alter the Red Bull driver's approach, backing Bernie Ecclestone's prediction that the 24-year-old could eventually better his career mark.

"Whether you have one or two or how many in your pocket doesn't matter," Schumacher said. "There is one more achievement that you'd like to do and that is keep on winning as much as you can. That is the goal."

Ecclestone, while hoping for a more competitive Formula One season this year after Vettel's largely unchallenged run in 2011, said Vettel still had "enormous potential" to fill.

"My guess is that Sebastian really can do it again," Ecclestone said. "I think anything else would be the surprise.

"Realistically, everything points to him. He's got it all: talent, passion, zeal, a clear head - and he hates to lose. I could imagine him beating Michael's record."

At age 43 and after 287 races, Schumacher is not quite done with his career. Although he is in the final year of his contract with Mercedes Petronas, he declined to say whether Sunday would be his last F1 race in Melbourne.

"I will tell you later," Schumacher said. "I don't see any reason to get into my future right now."

When Ecclestone's prediction about Vettel beating his record was put to him, Schumacher said he was proud of his young countryman. "I would be most happy with him doing so," he said.

Only two drivers, Juan Manuel Fangio and Schumacher have won three titles in a row. When Vettel was asked yesterday whether he had spent much time contemplating his chance to join this celebrated company, he was blunt. "I am here to win the championship, so that is the target," he said. "Whether it is the third or not doesn't make a difference. It would be a nice thing but the reason why we are here is to race and to win."

A day earlier, Vettel was more expansive, explaining how winning his first world title in 2010 - and denying his Australian teammate Mark Webber - in the final race of the year had removed any doubts he harboured about his ability.

"Winning the first world championship is a great relief in many ways because you have proven to yourself that you can do it, which is more important than anything else," he said. "It is something that no one can take away from you.

"But that doesn't mean you don't care what happens next. It is the opposite. You know it all starts again, everyone starts from zero again and you want to do it again, naturally. So I have never had to ask myself the question do I want this again or what am I here for. I am still hungry and I am still getting upset when someone else beats me."

For Webber, relief will come today when he finally takes the wheel of his Red Bull and stops answering questions - albeit just for the time it takes to complete a few laps - about his own prospects this weekend and this season.

"There is a bit of rust in all the teams," Webber said. "We haven't raced for a while so you are looking at pit stops and strategy and drivers as well.

"We are all looking forward to getting our helmets on and getting on with it now. We have been talking about it for nine weeks now, about who is doing what, and I'm sick of talking about it. I just want to get out on the track."