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

 

[Plutus]

Chip Gannasi the great US car owner / team leader says he's never known a baby to make a driver quicker.

Schumacher won 5 world championships after the birth of his first child.

 

[Jen]

I suspect being a father won't make a jot of difference.

Total selfishness is the nature of the boy and he will do what he deems necessary to promote his career.

 

[Kewee]

I agree with you Jen, I was quoting Ganassi for a bit of fun though his comment can carry some truth depending on the driver. He made that comment after Scott Dixon married and had his first child. Scotty proved him wrong by winning the Indy title last season in the Ganassi No.9 car. Bet Chips glad to be proved wrong and will no doubt hope he's wrong again this year.

 

[teabagyokel]

Kewee - motivation?

 

[siffert_fan]

Jen

Name one successful driver where "total selfishness" ISN'T "the nature of the boy". They ALL are trying to promote their career.

 

[FB]

Discussions about Alonso's overtake on Schumacher about 100 years ago moved here:

http://cliptheapex.com/threads/schumacher-alonso-130r.6672/

 

[Galahad]

Schumi was quicker before 2000, in my opinion. But correlation is not causation!

 

[The Artist.....]

Galahad

I think I agree with you- look at 1996, for instance- he hauled that Ferrari to places it had no right being!

I don't think it's children that slightly slowed him down, but rather having smashed his leg up in the British GP of 1999.....

 

[Titch]

I think that when he steps into that car all thoughts of wife and child will be wiped from his conscious thoughts. All drivers are obsessed with winning, I know. But some seem to be more obsessed than others. It's certainly the impression that Vettel gives.

 

[Plutus]

Galahad

I think I agree with you- look at 1996, for instance- he hauled that Ferrari to places it had no right being!

Oh, of course. The car wasn't slow, unreliable but not slow, even Irvine achieved managed some good results if he managed to finish. Schumacher put it there were it was supposed to be.

 

[The Artist.....]

Plutus

I can't agree with you there; in qualifying, Schumacher was often more than a second a lap faster than Irvine... That doesn't happen unless one driver is dog slow (which Irvine wasn't), or the other driver is driving out of their skin!

 

[Mephistopheles]

The 1996 Ferrari was a complete dog of a car but why it is being discussed on the Vettel thread is anyone's guess...

 

[Plutus]

Plutus

I can't agree with you there; in qualifying, Schumacher was often more than a second a lap faster than Irvine... That doesn't happen unless one driver is dog slow (which Irvine wasn't), or the other driver is driving out of their skin!

Irvine showed us how fast he was, when he was nearly beaten by Salo in 1999 in Hockenheim?, I think. And when Schumacher recovered after breaking his leg half a year earlier, Irvine was beaten by 0.9 secs, you are trying to tell me he is fast?

Schumacher had the talent, unlike Irvine, to make use of a good car and place it there where it was supposed to be.

 

[Fenderman]

Salo comprehensively outraced Irvine at Hockheim 1999 until he was given Ferrari's version of "Multi 21". I remember that race well because I was furious that he was told to move over during a brilliant drive. Even though it was a stand in role, Mika had at last got a race seat in which he could show his true potential. It's a shame that F1's priorities are so rarely with its drivers.

 

[FB]

Guys - I created a new thread for all the discussion relating to Schumacher and Alonso and still the non-Vettel related stuff is being posted. Schumie has a thread all of his own, you could discuss this in the Ferrari thread if you want but not in one specifically created to discuss all things Win Finger.

Cheers

FB

 

[Kewee]

Talking about Schumacher and Alonso…….. ……..sorry FB…..

 

[Fenderman]

Apol's for getting suckered into the off-topic discussion FB but I had no idea where I was!

 

[teabagyokel]

FB - Its unsurprising that Vettel has disappeared off the front of his own thread.

 

[Fenderman]

How big a lead is that now?

 

[teabagyokel]

Fenderman - About 30 seconds but I expect him to gap those behind from this point.