Current Sebastian Vettel

Lots of threads have alluded to having a discussion about the current world champion so lets get it all off our collective chests (oooeer!)

Lots has been has been written about this young man from his testing debut with BMW Sauber in 2006 aged just 19 - he then progressed to the the toro rosso team for his first full race season in 2008 - the memorable race being his drive in the wet at Fuji where he managed to rear end his future team mate Mark Webber who said ""It's kids isn't it... kids with not enough experience – they do a good job and then they **** it all up." - Little was Mark to know he would be paired with the "Kid" just 2 years later.

His maiden win came at the 2008 Italian GP where he qualified up from, the race started under the safety car in the rain and the young German led from start to finish in the Toro Rosso - becoming the youngest winner of a grand prix ever.

Then we enter the era of the Red Bull. In 2009 he joined the Red Bull team, which got off to a torrid start as he managed to crash into Kubika in Australia, a feat he would go on to repeat during the 09 season.

Last year needs no mention........

So to the crux of the matter. Is Sebastian Vettel?

the real deal, the baby schumi, the new pretender - a genuine racer? - aka Wunderkind

or

A very quick driver, who lucked into a very fast car and can bang it on pole and lead from lights to flag and be the quickest pilot of a car, yet can't overtake for toffee? aka WunOrAother

 

[ExtremeNinja]

Some know they are not, but try to get as close to the quickest. Niki is wrong.... and I'm sure Seb would thrash me with any amount of experience. Well, 90% sure.

 

[Greenlantern101]

Stephano phoned 3 people the day he left Ferrari, Alonso, Kimi and Vettel.

I may be reading between the lines here, but to apply some logic. I can't think of a reason he would call Seb unless he wanted him to know he was leaving. And he would only want him to know that because it would have an impact on Seb. And it could only impact Seb if he has already signed for Ferrari.

BOOM.

http://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/domenicali-says-he-quit-f1-and-called-vettel/

 

[teabagyokel]

Nice theory.

Very nice theory.

Martin Whitmarsh, interestingly, rang three people when he left McLaren. Perez, Button and the owner of a mid-sized grocery in Aalborg. He got the wrong number.

 

[ExtremeNinja]

Domenicali declined, meanwhile, to talk publicly at length about his successor, the inexperienced Marco Mattiacci.

"Mattiacci did not ask me anything," he admitted. "It's a good thing to see that he did not need advice."

Hee hee

 

[Incubus]

Either that or the contents of the blog are indeed a fake, as that Bild correspondent claimed.
The only indication about whoever he called on the day he took his decision come from "a respected Ferrari source", whatever that means.
That's not exactly cast in stone is it? I don't know but I can't think of any logical reason why he would openly tell a journalist about calling Vettel?...

 

[Incubus]

After reading that snippet I'd be astonished if it was genuine:

.
"Why I called Seb? You'll have to find out the answer for yourself, sorry."

How incredibly subtle.

 

[no-FIAt-please]

Motorsport.com write absolute bollocks, if there's ever half a story on another site you can guarantee that there is a more extreme form of the story on their site.

 

[Bill Boddy]

It's gone downhill since I died.

 

[Fenderman]

 

[Jen]

Well, who would have thunk it?

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/formula1/27830986

 

[RasputinLives]

I've been very interested to notice there has been absolutely no mention of the fact that Seb got screwed on pit stop strategy at Canada.

He was the highest qualifier and the furthest up the road yet they chose to pit Danny Ric first. Whilst Red Bull's thinking was that Danny Ric was covering off Bottas it has to be noted that Seb was losing a whole hatful of time behind Hulkenberg. Danny Ric pitting first got him the position and in, actual fact, led to his race victory.

There was no complaint from Seb on the radio or after in the media, which we certainly would have heard from others, and he was very gracious in congratulating Ricciardo on his win, which again we wouldn't have seen from others.

What amuses me most is the lack of discussion regarding this point as on various occasions its happened between Hamilton and Button it created 50 page arguments and just the other week it happened between Kimi and Alonso and again discussion raged.

I have a funny feeling if it had happened the other way round, and Vettel had taken the race win from it, we'd have heard a lot more about it.

 

[Bushi]

Think Seb lost 5sec. behind Hulkenberg. Also think they pitted Vettel first, but with the tires being hard to warmp up during their out lap and Daniel getting free space he nicked the place from Vettel.

Vettel did ask the team why they pitted Daniel immediately after him.

I also think if it was the other way around we would have heard a lot more. I did read someway say that Daniel bested Vettel again 6 out of 1, but why and how isn't mentioned.

 

[Jen]

There are storms and there are storms - we all make of it what we will, few will get it right due to the fact that they weren't there.

 

[RasputinLives]

Vettel was def pitted after Ricciardo.

Yes Jen none of us were there for any of them. Do you think that means none of us should comment?

 

[Bushi]

Yes with the first stops, at the second stop Vettel pitted first and than Daniel.
http://www.formula1.com/results/season/2014/922/7353/pit_stop_summary.html

 

[Jen]

Yes Jen none of us were there for any of them. Do you think that means none of us should comment?

Of course not, but comment should come from proven knowledge not surmise and/or preference. Which is why I tend not to bother any more!

Edit.

I posted a piece which said Seb needed to pick up his game - and most people would agree with that - you picked up on a small detail, whilst maybe true, would not persuade the average punter that the original piece was inaccurate.

No team is perfect, nor driver, but TPs have to take the overview unlike some here!

 

[RasputinLives]

I actually wasn't replying to your post. I was discussing Sebastian Vettel on the Sebastian Vettel thread.

 

[Bushi]

To be honest that "Raise your game" comment from Marko is totally misplaced imo. He was in 3rd in Monaco till his car broke down and he probably would have bested Daniel in Canada if the strategy didn't screw him.

 

[Mephistopheles]

Marko does seem to be ignoring the teams part in Vettel's results doesn't he?

Oh and by the way that comment he made in Monaco about "Come on guys." was not a criticism of the team it was a call to them to retire him as he was ruining the race for the other drivers he was holding up due to his car problems which is a commendable thing for a driver to say, a pity Perez didn't say it in Canada...

 

[Hamberg]

Are you kidding? Why on earth should Perez have just moved out of the way let alone retired?