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 fuck 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

 

[Il_leone]

teabagyokel

I think Hulkenberg is ready to live up to his name as the NEXT BIG THING and I expect him to be racing people like Vettel more regularly

 

[ExtremeNinja]

This is quite cool.

 

[teabagyokel]

ExtremeNinja - One day he's going to run out of possible designs.

But it is a great marketing exercise, all this helmet swapping!

 

[Brogan]

Or an affectation, depending on your point of view.

 

[teabagyokel]

Brogan - Probably both...

 

[Boyle]

Doesn't he auction them for charity?

 

[Titch]

Doesn't he auction them for charity?

Well at least that would be a good thing. Maybe it's time F1 made a more positive (obvious?) commitment to something other than making bucket loads of money.

 

[Lewywo4]

teabagyokel

I think Hulkenberg is ready to live up to his name as the NEXT BIG THING and I expect him to be racing people like Vettel more regularly

He won't do it in a Sauber, but in a front running car he surely would.

 

[ExtremeNinja]

I love the whole helmet thing. I know it is massively wasteful but I would have a similar fetish if in his shoes. Imagine walking your grandchildren through your trophy room and each trophy having a unique accompanying helmet. It is extravagant, for sure, but it's pretty awesome, too. I would get a lot of pleasure browsing a collection of lids that I had raced in and I'm sure he does too. All power to him on this one.

 

[FB]

He certainly does:

http://in.news.yahoo.com/vettels-sw...bilia-motivating-source-behind-113858547.html

 

[Mephistopheles]

Not another bloody year of vettelisms......

 

[ExtremeNinja]

Cheers, FB. Great link. It's exactly what I would do but sadly he has more talent in his winfinger than I have in my whole body.

It has just occurred to me, before I hit the post button, that I do exactly the same thing. I DO have a full shelf in my front room dedicated to my karting (with a couple of other F1 nic-nacs). Mine is poor, though, consisting of a few rental kart 1st place trophies and a couple of thirds, a folder full of time-sheets, 7 DVD's of my races with commentary and then a few freebies I got from Williams plus tickets and brochures from the two F1 GP's I have attended. when my helmet gets a custom paint job, that will find a place up there, too. I call it my racing shrine. What a pair of nerds myself and Vettel appear to be. I think he and I might get on quite well, so long as he didn't call me a cucumber or anything like that.

 

[ExtremeNinja]

Well this thread is surprisingly quiet. One of us has to man-up break cover, I guess. Looks like Vettel has done himself no favours today. Same rotten win-at-all-costs attitude that Schumacher used to display.

Reminds me of the guy that climbs over people stepping on their faces to get over the wall instead of working with everyone else to help them over too. Not a team player. I've worked with people like this in office places and they lose friends quickly and ultimately end up losing support, regardless of their ability. A very ugly display from this man today and a stark contrast with Hamilton's humble humility in a similarly difficult situation.

 

[RasputinLives]

If Massa had been closing on Alonso, had been told not to overtake him and then did people would be saying how great it was.

Yes I understand the in's and outs of engines being turned down etc etc but the simple fact remains that with both team orders today you come down on the side of the driver you like.

Those that don't like Vettel will use this to say what a horrible cheat he is and those that don't like Hamiton will beat him over the head witb the team orders thing.

This will keep happening as long as they are team mates. At the end of the day Vettel and Hamilton are the ones likely to be in the champoonship race so both teams actually got the right result.

 

[EvilWhippet]

I don't like Webber more than I like Vettel, but overtaking your teammate for the lead when you're holding positions and saving the engines is deplorable. I can't see any other way of looking at it.

 

[RickD]

I can't see Vettel getting any favours from Webber int he future and can't see Mark taking one for the team. This one is going to run and run I feel.

 

[ExtremeNinja]

but the simple fact remains that with both team orders today you come down on the side of the driver you like.

That is very much your opinion but if I don't like Vettel it is because of his actions. It is not that I don't like Vettel's actions because of some irrational dislike for the individual. That is just simply not how I make judgements about people and I suspect the same goes for most people who you assume to have an irrational bias based on... I don't know what. Nationality, haircut, shoesize? What do you suggest is the reason for anyone to dislike Vettel or any other driver other than in judgement of thier actions?

There may be a few out there who simply think one looks prettier than the other or prefer another drivers smile but don't tar us all with the same brush. My judgements are as objective as they can be.

 

[Dizzi]

I'm with ExtremeNinja on this, I don't dislike Vettel the person, he seems a rather fun chap to be around. But his attitude on the race track is awful. I would've been okay with the whole ignoring team orders thing (I never liked team orders) if Seb hadn't acted like an arrogant little **** with the "get him out of the way" message.
I almost wish they had come together/ruined the tyres and lost 43 points.

 

[Foaad]

Just to put today's events in perspective, and the comments of how much a team player Webber is, might I remind what Webber did in Brazil last year, even Christian Horner admitted to it in the interview with BBC.

 

[Fenderman]

With regard to the more polarised positions I think RickD 's on the money. Obviously the more or less neutral among us will be walking the "let's wait and see" line.

I think, potentially, Seb's big problem as a result of today could be the loss of useful shared information from Mark's side of the garage. Regardless of one's view about who may be the quickest of the two, one thing is for sure and that is that Mark carries with him a wealth of experience. I for one don't know whether or not Mark is better than Seb at identifying issues with a car and setting it up. However, he is an intelligent man and I think it is a fair bet that he has somewhat more experience in that department since he has been in F1 somewhat longer. That experience will be one of the reasons that red Bull have retained his services.

It's going to be fascinating seeing how all this plays out in the next few races. I would hold my breath but then I'd asphyxiate.