It was a big step - Vettel

At the tender age of 19, Sebastian Vettel is living the dream of most young racing drivers: in 2007, he will be the official test and reserve driver of the BMW Sauber F1 Team. Sebastian speaks about the past season and his future plans.

At the Turkish Grand Prix in August, the German made his first appearance as Friday driver at the wheel of the BMW Sauber F1.06 and sensationally finished the second free practice session as the fastest driver. Over the course of the remainder of the 2006 season, Sebastian continued to deliver outstanding performances at race weekends.

However, he still has some difficulty in comprehending what a huge career step he took this year. "It was a big step and the reality of it is still sinking in," admits Vettel. "Gradually I understand what I've achieved this year, what the next year will mean for my development, and what the future might hold."

Despite his fantastic first season, Sebastian's career plan remains down to earth. The young gun plans to take one step after the other and refuses to think years ahead. In his opinion, this isn't possible in Formula One anyway: "There is no such thing as a master plan for the next three years," he comments. "A career in Formula One is so unpredictable, but I think this is valid for all sports. Something can always get in your way, so it's almost impossible to plan way in advance. The most viable approach for me seems to be thinking and planning from one year to the next."