Sebastian Vettel has named his new RB6 formula one car ’Luscious Liz’.
The 22-year-old German and 2009 championship runner-up famously called last year’s Red Bull ’Kate’s Dirty Sister’ - because it was faster and more aggressive than its predecessor ’Kate’. His 2008 Toro Rosso was called Julie.
Giving his cars a female name, emblazoned on the ’dashboard’ of the single seater, is now one of Vettel’s several F1-related superstitions.
Vettel religiously steps into his cars and dismounts from the left-hand side, and slides a lucky coin behind the laces of his boot.
"If I could design a superstar, Sebastian would be the result," F1 chief executive Bernie Ecclestone writes in the latest edition of Auto Bild Motorsport.
"He is exactly what formula one needs: a young, super-talented driver who is intelligent but not arrogant, popular with the public and good with the media, normal but still very professional," added the 79-year-old.