The secret of Vettel's success: working on the area of biggest potential advantage

Sebastian Vettel is surely receiving less credit for his superlative driving skills than any of the other three quadruple Champions in the sport's history.

The point is that exhaust blowing has been the single most powerful aerodynamic tool of the last three seasons - and it's the area therefore where Vettel has devoted the most time, thought and energy. It's a trait that his team boss Christian Horner sees in his everyday approach. "After P1 each Friday you will see him trying to work out where the biggest area of advantage is going to be, the removal of what limitation is going to find him the most lap time. He will go away and think about it, work towards it and then by Saturday he's devastating. And he's just getting better and better at that." It isn't so much that exhaust blowing technology came along and luckily dovetailed into Vettel's strengths; it is that Vettel developed these strengths as he recognised the area of biggest potential advantage. Next season exhaust blowing is definitively gone. The single exhaust pipe sticks out the middle of the car, well behind the downforce-inducing diffuser and brake ducts. Furthermore, being turbocharged, the engine produces a vastly reduced amount of exhaust energy, as much of it has already been used in driving the turbo. So the challenge - and the key area of advantage - will switch to something else. Working out how best to use what little fuel you have, perhaps? Whatever it turns out to be, Vettel will be hungrily onto it and his sharp mind and fierce competitive drive will combine with his natural talent - and this will continue to make him a truly great driver. MH Follow Mark Hughes on Twitter @SportmphMark