Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel believes his team can be “even stronger” this season after losing out to Mercedes last term.

The Silver Arrows claimed a second successive Constructors’ Championship in 2015 as they eased to the title with a 275-point advantage over Ferrari.

Vettel picked up just three victories over the course of the campaign and finished third in the World Championship behind Mercedes duo Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg.

The 2016 season begins on March 18 at Melbourne Park in Australia and Vettel is hoping to make a positive start.

The 28-year-old will partner Kimi Raikkonen again this season, with the Finnish ace last winning the world title back in 2007.

Ferrari launched their new SF16-H car this week and Germany’s Vettel, who won four successive titles between 2010 and 2013 with Red Bull, believes it will allow the team to be more competitive this year.

The Maranello-based outfit have reverted back to a push-rod suspension for the first time in four years in the hope of closing the gap on their rivals.

Vettel said: “We had a fantastic year last year and we all want more. When I joined the team there were a lot of people changing their positions and it was a difficult time to have expectations.

“But now we have had a much better winter to prepare and therefore we will be a strong team – as we have seen already last year – but even stronger this year.”