MOTORING NEWS - Ferrari's German driver Sebastian Vettel celebrate on the podium after winning the Malaysian Grand Prix in Sepang on 29 March.
Despite dozens of victories, Sebastian Vettel failed to convince everyone he was Formula One's best driver when he strode to four world titles with Red Bull. The questions grew more pointed when he finished well behind teammate Daniel Ricciardo in his final season for Red Bull last year. But Vettel has proven he can thrive in another garage. After placing third in Melbourne, and splitting the Mercedes in Malaysian qualifying, he resumed his old position at the head of the field on Sunday, and never looked back.
A picture of calm at the Ferrari controls contrasted with near-panic at Mercedes with screaming over the radio and a farcical "miscommunication" when Lewis Hamilton was asked whether he'd consider pitting for a fourth time. Ferrari, under new team principal Maurizio Arrivabene, worked out their plan on Sunday morning and executed it to the letter, despite an early safety car and a puncture for Kimi Raikkonen, who fought from the back of the field to finish fourth. The new approach augurs well for Ferrari.
Fernando Alonso raised eyebrows pre-race when he claimed he was "one of the happiest people in the world" since rejoining McLaren. That accolade certainly now fits for Vettel, who has won in only his second race for Ferrari after replacing Alonso at the Italian team. Alonso won't admit it, but he may be feeling some regret at his decision to quit Maranello at a time when Ferrari is on the up and McLaren are hitting rock-bottom.
Either Max Verstappen is a genius or Formula One driving is not as hard as it looks. For a 17-year-old, barely legal to drive in his home country, to jump into a Toro Rosso and finish seventh in only his second race is extraordinary. Certainly the Dutch teenager, now F1's youngest points-scorer, has grown up around motor sport. But with young, fresh-faced pilots increasingly common in F1, you wonder whether the cars are really as complicated as they look.
F1 is not dead yet
It was a gift from the Formula One gods but Sunday's thrilling race lifted the storm clouds gathering over the sport, at least temporarily. Teams and races, along with viewers, have been dropping like flies, prompting much hand-wringing and complaining among the sport's protagonists. A resurgence by Ferrari, if sustained, will do much to regenerate interest among fans. Formula One has at least given a reminder of its potential to excite. 
