Sebastian Vettel thinks his move to Ferrari this year has been good for F1.
Recently, although earlier a friend and supporter of the quadruple world champion, Bernie Ecclestone slammed Germans Vettel and Nico Rosberg for being "not so good for my business".
"As the cancellation of the German grand prix indicates, Germany is a terrible market for formula one," the F1 supremo told the sport’s official website.
"Sebastian is also not doing much for F1. People hardly recognise him on the street."
Vettel, however, has a completely different view, arguing that his move from Red Bull to Ferrari has benefitted the sport.
"I think my change has been positive for formula one as a whole," he told Germany’s Auto Bild Motorsport.
"In Germany, the comparison with when Michael (Schumacher) drove for Ferrari is obvious. The euphoria was huge, but even now I still feel a little of that," said the 27-year-old.
Vettel said Ferrari occupies "quite a special place in formula one".
"The fascination for this brand is quite special and something very unique. For some reason, fans seem to identify more with Ferrari than with the others. The passion is simply bigger," he explained.
"I have heard that Ferrari drivers give autographs rather than receive speeding tickets," Vettel grinned. "Michael and Felipe (Massa) told me a little about this, but I think today that is no longer true."