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

 

[cider_and_toast]

Not forgetting of course that Hamilton has now joined that list.

 

[Mephistopheles]

I think that Vettel is a very nice and very well mannered young man...

 

[Brogan]

http://www1.skysports.com/f1/news/1...e-during-2014-struggles-says-christian-horner

One bad season and he considered quitting.

 

[cider_and_toast]

That, if true, doesn't suggest a bright future if he can't make the Ferrari work for him.

 

[Bushi]

I also think one of the reasons was the sound the new formula made. He told on numerous occasions the story when he was a kid and the memory of the sound..... Along with his bad performance, didn't do him any good so it seems.

 

[siffert_fan]

But how much credibility do you ascribe to Horner, particularly when he is now talking about one of his EX drivers?

 

[Bushi]

Indeed, as soon as Seb left he was like :"Sebastian left because of Ricciardo" and now this.

 

[cider_and_toast]

It must be how a father feels when his son leaves home

 

[Incubus]

Relieved?

 

[Titch]

World champions aren't made like they used to be.

 

[Andyoak]

Oh dear... I'll cut him a little slack because it must have been a hell of a comedown after four years of domination.

 

[The Pits]

It's not like he's the first driver ever to think about quitting after a tough time though is it.

 

[RasputinLives]

Are we thinking back to 2009?

 

[The Pits]

Not particularly, there are many examples. Just google "driver x quit" and I am sure something will come up, with varying degrees of veracity.

 

[siffert_fan]

I suspect that working for Horner for a few years would be enough to make anyone think about quitting.

 

[teabagyokel]

It seems he decided that Red Bull were the problem. Difficult to understand how Ferrari are going to be the solution, but I guess it is worth a try.

Kvyat is going to at least double his career points haul by China as a result.

 

[Il_leone]

I'd like to apply my Star Wars analogy where Helmut Marko is the Sith Emperor and Vettel was his original apprentice (Darth Vader) and now he has a new apprentice Ricciardo ( ala Luke Skywalker)

 

[Mephistopheles]

I would like to apply own analogy here and say that, yeah, no is talking bollocks again...

 

[Kewee]

His reputation suffered alongside his new teammate in 2014. I think his reputation would be in tatters in many peoples eyes if he was unable to beat Ricciardo in 2015, his only solution was to move teams. Of course with Ferrari's problems, if he has another bad year blame can be shifted to the car, but how damaging will it be if Kimi beats him consistently. The comparisns with Alonso will be inevitable considering Fernando had the better of Kimi all season during his final season at Ferrari.

 

[siffert_fan]

With that line of thought then, if he wins a race in the Ferrari, which FA couldn't do last season, will that prove that Alonso is crap and Vettel is the best in F1 right now?