Red Bull's Australian driver Mark Webber is ready to get the 2012 Formula One season underway after a refreshing break.
Webber, who finished third in the driver's standings last season, enjoyed time off from the hustle and bustle of Formula One, including a stint in Australia.
But he is back on deck with Red Bull now and is excited about the launch of the Milton Keynes-based team's car.
"I've had a great break actually," Webber said.
"I could really switch off actually, do a bit of surfing, also got the motorbikes out so had a bit of fun with those. It was really good to spend time with quality people."
"I love being with away from the sport for a while, but I must say that come the middle of January I always get itchy feet to get back into the car again, so it was the perfect balance for me to unwind."
"Success of the team in the last few years has been exceptional, so every time we launch a new car there is a lot of anticipation and excitement."
"The bar has been set high. We have cleaned up in the last few years. Our Constructors' Championship last year was very dominant. Both drivers are performing near the front and the team is being very reliable, we know that we have to keep working hard."
Despite winning the 2011 title in a canter, Sebastian Vettel knows making it three world championships in a row will not be easy.
"It would be wrong to go into this season and expect 2011 to happen again, as in getting into the lead early and having a very big gap to other competitors in the Championship," Vettel said.
"So I think it will be very, very tight this year and everything else would be a surprise to be honest."
But while Vettel was playing his hopes down, Red Bull team principal Christian Horner believes there is plenty to come from the German.
"As a driver, he's still evolving and he's still getting stronger," Horner said.
"We saw that in 2011 and I think we're only going to see that again in 2012. You forget he's only 24 years of age and it's such a young age to have achieved so much."
"I think that, as he gains experience and as he gains knowledge and matures, he's getting stronger and stronger."
Webber's compatriot Daniel Ricciardo is also unsurprisingly counting down until the start of the Formula One season.
Ricciardo is set to make his debut on the circuit with Scuderia Toro Rosso and the Western Australian admitted to being 'emotional' at the car launch.
"The car definitely looks sexy. And it's a bit emotional actually, seeing the first F1 car that will be mine to drive from the start of the season," Ricciardo told the Australian Grand Prix website.
"With the new nose, it's not exactly beautiful, but I'd rather have a quick car than a pretty one."
"Now I can't wait to drive it tomorrow, when I don't think I'll need an alarm clock to wake up to start the day."