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

 

[Kewee]

No. That's judging the car, he need's to beat Kimi which didn't appear to be a problem for Alonso. Incidentally, Hamilton is the best in F1 at present, I saw him win the World Championship.

 

[F1Yorkshire]

Ferrari will be a mid table team all season. I'm predicting an unprecedented decline.

 

[Kewee]

I think so too F1Yorkshire.

 

[cider_and_toast]

I wouldn't be so sure. As Mr Walker once said, "Anything can happen in F1 and it usually does".

New car, new back room team, new driver, it could go any way.

 

[Splash]

Backwards?

 

[Kewee]

Splash ......

 

[teabagyokel]

Ferrari will be a mid table team all season. I'm predicting an unprecedented decline.

Well, they went from WCC to 10th in 1980, so they'd have to finish 14th from a field of 9 to make an unprecedented decline.

 

[cider_and_toast]

Vettel spent last season in a car he couldn't get to grips with after 4 years of one he was able to develop around his style. Kimi spent last season in a car that he couldn't get to grips with because he said he couldn't get the front end to stick. What happens then if Ferrari produce a car that both drivers can find something from. Everyone will suggest that Alonso smashed Kimi but Seb couldn't. Different teams, different cars, different circumstances.

We've been caught out with drivers changing teams in the face of massive reputational risk before. A few examples include Schumacher to Ferrari, Button to McLaren and Hamilton to Mercedes. There was much laughing and anticipation of failure from a lot of quarters. I should know, I was one who thought Button would fall flat on his ass on joining McLaren. We have all been proven wrong on a number of occasions.

I think wait and see would be the best policy.

 

[siffert_fan]

I still think all this rot about a 4 time WDC's reputation being "at risk" is complete rubbish. You can't win that many championships without being a great driver.

I also think the Alonso beating Kimi thing is way overblown. Alonso had been at the team for several years, the designers knew his preferences and designed the cars to meet those preferences. Kimi was new to the team and his preferences weren't taken into account during the design of the car. The deck was MASSIVELY stacked in FA's favour.

 

[Andyoak]

I hope not...

 

[soccerman17]

I don't really blame him for almost quitting. He won 4 WDCs in a row. It only goes downhill from there folks. Try your hand at something else, win something new rather than trying to win something you've already won 4 times. Not saying all WDCs should just quit, its just that its a pretty logical action to take. James Hunt logic I think.

 

[Mephistopheles]

siffert_fan The mentality of it goes something like this, Seb wins four titles on the bounce and some people turn round and say yeah that proves nothing except that you're a shit driver, mate

 

[cider_and_toast]

Yeah but you forget, if he hadn't driven the fastest car the fastest then someone else would have driven their car faster and that means he wouldn't have been four time world champion so he must be shit. It's like Hamilton this season if he hadn't been the fastest driver in the fastest car he would have been nowhere ergo shit. Logic see.

 

[Mephistopheles]

Yep it may be boring to watch but you can't knock the skill....

 

[siffert_fan]

For some, too, it seems that, if the WDC is German, their team had be cheating. They've claimed that for Ferrari with MS and for the Bulls with Seb.

Funny how that accusation isn't leveled at other times, isn't it?

 

[Il_leone]

siffert_fan Absolutely not especially if Kimi wins more races than him

 

[Il_leone]

siffert_fan err Schumacher did cheat and got disqualified !

I thought everyone accused Brawn of cheating in 2009 because they could not take it they were all outsmarted

 

[Mephistopheles]

If Seb's rep is damaged by Kimi beating him, then what happens to Alonso's rep if Jenson beats him? and what happens to Hamilton's rep if Nico beats him, I find this all very confusing you know...

 

[Il_leone]

Vettel's reputation is at risk .... the only person who's career went rapidly downhill after winning the world title was Jacques Villeneuve's even Kimi' and James Hunt come close to that

When you go to Ferrari you put your reputation on the line some drivers their careers have never recovered

 

[Il_leone]

Mephistopheles There is less risk for Alonso because everyone realises Button is a much better driver than everyone gives him credit for and there is far more respect for Jenson.

I don't think its a big issue since Jenson is the only one who was beaten Lewis Hamilton in F1 as teammate .

Alonso did not have much complimentary things to say about Kimi I seem to remember last year

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Kimi has been in the Ferrari team before so he knows the set up / environment so it is not new to him and plus he knew what he got himself into when he re-signed and it has to be said probably because of the money as well offered to him