After the disappointment of qualifying, Sebastian Vettel was thrilled after recovering from 20th to P2 in the German Grand Prix.
The four-time world champion steadily made his way through the field in the difficult conditions at Hockenheim before putting on a late charge to finish behind race winner Max Verstappen.
It was a performance which could well have exercised the demons of 2018, after crashing out in similar conditions but Vettel admits the key was patience.
“It was a long race, at some stages it felt like it would never end and it was very tough with the conditions and I’m just happy. It was a lot of fun,” he told Sky Sports' Martin Brundle in parc ferme.
“It took a while, at the beginning with the intermediates I couldn’t get going but eventually it was good that the afternoon took so long and I stayed tidy for most of the race.
“For me, it was just a case of go and get the next car, and then the next car.”
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With Ferrari having had the quickest car throughout practice before their issues in qualifying, it was when the circuit dried enough for slicks that Vettel could make his move.
“Before the last Safety Car, I realised I was quite a bit quicker and could move past people,” he explained.
“I was a little bit faster and could time it right. I saw people being cautious on the first corner and it worked getting into DRS range and I had moves down the back straight, but this race was so long.”
