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

 

[teabagyokel]

The Red Bull was not the fastest car in 2012. It had one period where it was clear; Vettel won four races on the spin, leading more than 200 consecutive laps.

 

[LifeW12]

I would respect Vettel a bit more if that stupid finger gimmick stopped

 

[Bill Boddy]

The Red Bull of 2012 was the fastest car more often than either of it's main competitors, added to which when the McLaren was quicker it was less reliable.

 

[Bushi]

Even so, they had the exact same race wins and on top of that two mechanical problems for Vettel and Hamilton.
Mclaren had the fastest car during the season, you can turn and twist how you want, but that's a fact.

 

[Bushi]

I would respect Vettel a bit more if that stupid finger gimmick stopped

In the early days i couldn't stand Schumacher's jump after a win. Think i started to get 'respect' for him in 2006.

 

[KekeTheKing]

Mclaren had the fastest car during the season, you can turn and twist how you want, but that's a fact.

The MP4-27 was decidedly not the fastest car for a considerable stretch during their annual mid-season doldrums. I think JB would back me up here. It was indeed the fastest at the very beginning and the very end of the year. The Red Bull and Ferrari also spent time as the best car in F1 during the 2012 campaign.

I definitely view 12' as Vettel's hardest fought championship though.

 

[teabagyokel]

So now he has to win the Championship in a car that was never the fastest overall package during the season. Exactly who has ever done that?

 

[KekeTheKing]

I never said anything like that tby. I commented on the Webber partnership and this conversation grew out of it. (The McLaren debate that is)

 

[teabagyokel]

KekeTheKing - I was not referring to you.

 

[Blog Zbod]

I would respect Vettel a bit more if that stupid finger gimmick stopped

He can't help it, he's a patron of the arts.

 

[Titch]

Well if he was dressed like that whilst brandishing the finger it would be a great deal more entertaining.

 

[Incubus]

I think the Red Bull was the fastest car throughout 2012 except perhaps in the first few races.
It should be remembered Vettel retired from the lead in Valencia, Webber won in Monaco and Silverstone.Alonso got the pole in the wet in Germany but Vettel behind him in the race looked faster but unable to overtake. Hamilton and the Lotuses got their strategy right in Hungary and Button found a perfect set-up at Spa but overall the Red Bull definitely looked to me like the fastest car throughout most of the season.
Sometimes onboard camera shots don't lie.... you can tell who needs repeated streering-wheel corrections exiting corners and who has enough confidence in their car to just turn the wheel smoothly.

 

[Mephistopheles]

I'm very skeptical about exactly how much influence a driver has on car development and even more skeptical about if any one driver is better at it than any other...

I can't find anything on the internet on this subject so I'm inclined to believe that the engineers do all the design and development and the driver just tweaks the set up and drives the thing...

 

[KekeTheKing]

I don't think there's any doubt that "car development" has taken on diminished importance in the "No-Testing Era". Luckily that era is drawing to a close in 2014. Maybe we'll see if that skill comes to the forefront next season.

 

[FB]

Although I don't think any of us know who good (or bad) the simulators are these days and how much feedback the drivers give via this route rather than the halcyon days when Schumie and his Ferrari used to spends months bashing round Fiorano ironing out every minor flaw in the car and tyres.

 

[KekeTheKing]

Earlier in the season I remember Red Bull crediting Buemi with turning their fortunes around after a rough Friday. They were able to feed updated data into the Simulator and "The Moose" put it to good use by pounding round the virtual world to find a better setup. Whether this is common or not, I do not know.

 

[Blog Zbod]

Vettel's win this week at Nürburgring was his career 30th (one shy of all-time #3, Nigel Mansell), his first in home country, his first in the month of July, and his first on the Continent since Monza, September 2011.

It also ties him with Lewis Hamilton for 11th in career podiums at 52. Next up is Niki Lauda with 54.

 

[Blog Zbod]

Move over Eddy Merckx, La Stampa have branded Seb the new "Cannibal."

From Bild.de, quoting lastampa.it (must be in the print edition as I can't find it online), and transmutilation courtesy of Google:

"There are people who steal a hope. In sports, they are called cannibals. Sebastian Vettel is four years since the ogre of F1. He has won three world titles in the series and with 26 years he has been flying in the direction of his fourth triumph. He is determined as his teacher Michael Schumacher. He drives a car that does not betray him."

 

[Blog Zbod]

From Autosprint:

Quanti Gp hanno impiegato per arrivare a 30 vittorie

Schumacher 30 109 Gp
Vettel 30 110 Gp
Senna 30 114 Gp
Prost 30 124 Gp
Mansell 30 179 Gp
Alonso 30 186 Gp

 

[KekeTheKing]

Very interesting. Scary as well.

Schumacher's 30th win came at the 1998 French GP, which happened to be Ferrari's first 1-2 in 8 years. He would collect 35 victories before embarking on his incredible run of dominance in 2000.

91 is still an incredibly long way away. It seems possible that Vettel could actually capture 7 titles even without reaching that win mark.