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Q & A with Sebastian Vettel

Sebastian Vettel has had a drama filled start to the season - with three first lap incidents marring the opening part of the campaign. But he is hoping that the next race in Monaco marks the start of a new chapter, especially now he is set to get his hands on Scuderia Toro Rosso's new STR3

Autosport.com heard from Vettel when he sat down with the media after his first day of testing the new car at Paul Ricard in France.

Q. Is the new car a night and day difference from the old one?

Sebastian Vettel: Well, it has four tyres - a front wing, a rear wing, and an engine that is right behind me! I feel positive, I think so. I've never been to Paul Ricard before, so with the new car and different tyres it is unlike what we have used so far this season. So it is difficult to compare.

But the main thing is that the feeling is good. I am positive so far. The rest, we will see.

I just wanted to get some mileage under my belt. I haven't had so much this year, but getting experience with it is good - to find out how it reacts, with new tyres and old tyres.

Q. Can you feel the difference with the new car?

SV: It is a different feeling, there is a slightly different seat position. It was important to do some laps, get used to the car, get a feeling for the setup and know how to work with it.

Q. Have you played with the setup yet?

SV: Our main focus is on running the car, we haven't played much with the setup yet. Our priority is to get mileage and to get used to the car.

Q. Were you relieved to finish a race in Turkey after your first lap dramas so far this year?

SV: Well, I had another first lap incident in Istanbul. Someone couldn't control themselves and they went into the back of my car and gave me a right rear puncture. Again there was something going on! In the end, I think everybody has their own opinion on how to deal with things, but my way is not to worry about it as these sort of things are out of my hands. So I do everything I can. I push as hard as I can, I push everywhere in practice, qualifying and the race - and if something happens in the race it is out of my hands.

Q. Are you worried about introducing the new car in Monaco?

SV: It's true there is not much room, but we have been waiting for this car. I am looking forward to it. Monaco, people might say is not so clever, and it is right that Monaco is perhaps not the perfect place to introduce a new car. But if you never start running or working with the new car, you never get used to it - so it can only be an advantage.

Q. Do you like Monaco?

SV: Yes, I like it when it is shaking, vibrating a lot in the car! But you have to say that Monaco has improved a lot. I raced in Monaco in 2005 and last year and it has got better. It is a lot less bumpy than it was in the past.

Q. A new car and a new target?

SV: Yes - to win the world championship! No, really - the target is always the same for us. For races like Monaco, where a lot can happen, you never know. But the target is always to do 100 percent the job we can do with no mistakes. It has not been that case in the last couple of races, because in Turkey we had an error with the fuel rig. So there is a lot to do.

Q. Do you think you can get to Q3?

SV: You never know. It depends on the others. Maybe five guys have a bad day. Our target must always be to have a good day with no excuse. We are here to win ultimately, but first we fight against ourselves and if we can do that then we can be proud.

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