The Red Bull star named his RB5 ‘Kate’ before the start of the season but after the first chassis was destroyed in an opening race clash with Robert Kubica in Melbourne, the new car brought the team it’s first victory and was renamed ‘Kate’s Dirty Sister’ as it was a bit more aggressive and faster.

However, this weekend in Silverstone rumours abounded that after a host of Silverstone-spec upgrades left his RB05 with a duck-like front end, Vettel had renamed the car Daisy, in tribute to the cartoon girlfriend of Disney character Donald Duck.

Vettel though was quick to point out he was keeping faith with the original name: “No, I will stay with Kate all season,” he told reporters. “Next year maybe there will be a new girl, but this year I will stay with Kate.”

And Vettel’s faith was rewarded on Friday morning with Seb ‘n’ Kate clocking fastest time in the opening practice session ahead of the last grand prix at Silverstone, a circuit the young driver says he will miss.

“I enjoy this circuit very much,” he said. “There are a lot of fast corners, I like it very much and I think it should suit our car. It’s a shame that, for now, it will be the last time we’re racing here but I hope that at some point in the future we’ll back.

“It’s definitely very challenging and therefore one of the nicest tracks. Plenty of high-speed corners, starting with Copse corner, Maggots, Becketts. From inside the car it just feels great and the rhythm you get after just one lap is really good, you always feel like you want to another and another. So I hope I get the chance to do a lot this weekend – especially 60 on Sunday!”