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

 

[FB]

Think he was over 2 seconds ahead at the end of lap 2 at Spa is quite frightening.

 

[Mephistopheles]

Although quite why the Mercedes takes a massive step down in performance in the races from lap one, i.e. irrespective of tyre deg, is another question.

Lets not open that tinnie of worms....

 

[RasputinLives]

His first lap was stunning yet again at Spa. He makes the rest look as though they aren't trying.

Although quite why the Mercedes takes a massive step down in performance in the races from lap one, i.e. irrespective of tyre deg, is another question.

The old saying is that you can't win a Grand Prix in the first lap but Vettel has won so many that way. I've never seen a driver who has such consistantly good first laps its truely stunning.

He is also the best I've ever seen at measuring his pace to his opponents behind. He just seems able to pull a lead out and then match whoever is behind on lap times whether they go up and down.

He has his detractors because he's not all balls out overtaking but he is a truely amazing racing driver.

 

[Mephistopheles]

And he bangs in fastest laps just for the crack, to be honest he is starting to make everyone else look second rate...

He is like the modern day Fangio, and Jenson is still the only man, currently, to have beaten him to a world championship in four years, and soon to be five....

 

[LifeW12]

I just want to see him in a non-Newey or average-Newey car

Schumacher in the 1996 Ferrari changed my opinion having rewatched that season
Alonso in the 2012 Ferrari
Senna in the 1993 McLaren
Prost in the 1986 McLaren

All great drivers made greater by the slower car

 

[RasputinLives]

My honest opinion? I think Vettel is making this years Red Bull look good. I think Webbers lack of podiums speaks volumes.

 

[Kewee]

Think he was over 2 seconds ahead at the end of lap 2 at Spa is quite frightening.

Not really FB, the longer the lap the more time and distance a driver has to increase a gap, it's on the shorter circuits it becomes more difficult for a driver to open a gap. To be honest I don't need any statistics to measure Vettel, he's a far different driver today than he was three years ago. He is absolutely superb.......as all the other top drivers are learning, including my favorite in his bright red car.

 

[RasputinLives]

You nearly went a whole post without mentioning Ferrari there Kewee

 

[Kewee]

I'm openminded enough to recognize other great drivers though,,,,did you notice.

 

[Dizzi]

There's no doubt he is excellent at getting the most out of the car he has, I suspect had he been in this year's McLaren he would have dragged it onto a podium by now (as would Lewis, Kimi & Fernando) - sorry Jens!
I agree with LifeW12 I'd like to see him performing in a non-Newey car. People quote Monza 2008 but good performance as it was the big contenders all shot themselves in the foot if I remember rightly.
Give him a car like the McLaren early-2009 for example with an equal team-mate (again Kimi, Fernando or Lewis) & see how he does.
Then his worth should shine out & maybe put paid to all the "it's the car" voices.
Anyway, congratulation for another dominant win.

 

[Blog Zbod]

Hamilton had his choice of teams. So did Alonso. They both entered into F1 before Vettel, before Vettel joined RBR. I have never read it reported anywhere that either of them ever has made entreaties to Red Bull. In the cold, clear light of day, they both consciously took the decision NOT to drive an Adrian Newey car.

So it fair boggles the mind that some would cite his competitors' lack of foresight as cause to question Vettel's driving skills.

 

[teabagyokel]

Blog Zbod - I think FB posted a link suggesting Alonso was approached by Red Bull to replace Coulthard...!

 

[Il_leone]

teabagyokel Blog Zbod

It supposedly happened after his fall out with Mclaren and trigger a merry go round where Alonso joins Red Bull, Webber goes to Renault and Heikki to Mclaren

 

[FB]

I did but I can't find it now. Apparently he had the chance to drive for them in 2009 but went back to Renault. He later told Christian Horner he regretted the decision which was primarily financial.

 

[Jos the Boss]

Q: (Andrea Cremonesi – La Gazzetta dello Sport) Sebastian, during the race we heard a little message radioed by you that you were complaining about the rear light on the Vettel car. I would like to know how disturbing, how annoying it was for you during the race?

SV: Me?

FA: Was the question for me? Well, it was...

SV: Will you listen now? You complained about the red light?

FA: Yeah, yeah. It was disturbing a little bit. Obviously it’s a very strong light with no rain.

SV: It’s worse in here.

FA: Sebastian is not used to having a car in front so he doesn’t know how it feels to have a red light on but when you are behind, a little bit close, it’s always flashing and sometimes you just have to touch one button because that’s the red light or something that you press by mistake, if he could switch, but he didn’t. So the whole race I had it flashing in my eyes.

SV: I was trying to get away so it wasn’t disturbing you so much.

FA: You didn’t...

 

[teabagyokel]

For all this talk of weak Red Bull circuits, Seb has only 5 circuits on his list of GPs started but not won - Magny-Cours, Fuji, Hockenheim, Hungaroring and Austin.

He joins Schumacher (5), Piquet*, Fangio, Moss, Peterson, Prost and Barrichello on the list of those to win at Monza on 3 occasions.

*Also won the 1980 Italian GP at Imola.

 

[RasputinLives]

I'll bet you a tenner he'll never win at Magny-Cours

 

[teabagyokel]

RasputinLives - I doubt he'll win at Fuji either, at least for the time being.

 

[RasputinLives]

I can see Fuji coming back at one point but as everybody in the entire F1 circus hated Magny-Cours for a variety of different reasons so I really think it is completely and totally dead and gone.

 

[Bushi]

I did but I can't find it now. Apparently he had the chance to drive for them in 2009 but went back to Renault. He later told Christian Horner he regretted the decision which was primarily financial.

Would have been fun to watch though. Alonso goes away from Mclaren to avoid that pesky Hamilton, only to find out there is another competitive younster waiting for him 2 years later.