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

 

[siffert_fan]

Il_leone

If you will check back, I think that you will find that MS was punished for "unsportsmanlike conduct" NOT "cheating"! That is why his career stats shows all of the points he accrued that year. Plus, as I said, it is usually his Ferrari years where the cheating accusation is made, not his Benneton years.

 

[Mephistopheles]

not his Benneton years

Apart from the last race of the season in 1994..

Don't worry I'll get over it eventually, they say that time is a great healer....

 

[siffert_fan]

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.



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

----------------

If you look back at Kimi's years at McLaren, you will see that he was the gold standard for pure speed, something Button has NEVER been.

You might more accurately say that "British fans realize that Button is a much better driver" as they, as a group, rate Button much higher than most other groups of F1 fans.

And how highly did Alonso speak of Hamilton when they were paired together at Mc Laren?

 

[siffert_fan]

Apart from the last race of the season in 1994..

Don't worry I'll get over it eventually, they say that time is a great healer....

And what is your opinion of Senna after he deliberately rammed his own teammate?

 

[Mephistopheles]

Senna was okay but I've seen better, seriously If he was driving today he would noted as a very dangerous driver to be around and probably the holder of several race bans...

 

[Kewee]

Mephistopheles

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

I don't recall Alonso saying anything derogatory either so if your suggesting he was critical of Kimi by saying nothing that may be a little unfair. My apologies in advance if I've misinterpreted you.

 

[Mephistopheles]

You might more accurately say that "British fans realize that Button is a much better driver" as they, as a group, rate Button much higher than most other groups of F1 fans.

Not true most British fans think he is crap and can't stand him, well most people on this forum do and this forum isn't unique in that matter judging by the ones I've posted on in the past this forum is only slightly less vociferous on the matter, although I have had the pleasure of receiving a pm from a member of this forum explaining to me just how much he/she hated Jenson, no names no pack drill......

 

[siffert_fan]

I for one , have and will always consider Button to have been EXTREMELY lucky to have won a WDC. As with JV, I think it was more a matter of being in the right place at the right time , rather than overwhelming talent, that gave JB his title.

 

[Mephistopheles]

I have no issue with your opinion siffert_fan, even though I don't share it.

And anyway the same thing can be said for many, many WDC's and so I choose to accept that the person who won did so by doing the best job with the equipment they had to hand, this includes Seb with his four on the bounce and Lewis Last year..

 

[FB]

Thread: Driver - Sebastain Vettel - Current.

I thank you.

 

[teabagyokel]

FB - I'll be sure to comment on Sebastain Vettel, then. Whoever he is.

 

[FB]

Bollocks

 

[teabagyokel]

I am expecting Vettel to hit the ground running at Ferrari, although I don't expect Ferrari to give Vettel the best possible platform.
He's a superb driver, and if Ferrari can get him in a competitive car, he's going to put it on pole and he's probably going to win from the front.

[plug=shameless]Those with strong opinions on which team-mates will end up faster may be interested to see that Team-Mate Prediction is going to return within the next couple of days. Walking the walk anyone?[/plug]

 

[ExtremeNinja]

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

 

[Il_leone]

Vettel will be allowed a brief honeymoon period before he gets questioned about his motivation and commitment

I seem to remember Luca saying we have not seen the real Kimi Raikkonen about mid way in 2007 to justify his salary which was a whopping $50m

 

[Il_leone]

Kewee Alonso pretty much said Kimi was a liability and was not doing much to sort out the mess they were in last year

Now it seems Kimi seems to be a bit more fired up that Vettel is his teammate

 

[Kewee]

Il_leone ..... i never read that anywhere over here in NZ. I must have missed it. If you can find it I'd like to read.

 

[RasputinLives]

Alonso got an A at the school of Flavio PR so I doubt very much you'll find him saying anything directly bad about Kimi. Just stuff like "Massa was the fastest team mate I've ever had" and things like that.

As for Mr Vettel - I find the situation with himself and Mr Hamilton very comparable in that they both came in young and very quick. Some people loved that and some people passionatly hate it (By the way please don't have the Hamilton/Vettel debate with me I'm just comparing the fan reaction to him not them as drivers or their career paths). I'm pretty sure their are German F1 forums where people passionatly defend him and say Nico Rosberg is lucky to be where is and they call each others Das Fanboys and things.

As for his move to Ferrari I'm still unsure. I think he has been of a consistant quality before last year, more consistantly on good form than any driver I've seen, so last year was always going to come at somepoint and a change of team will do him good. On the other hand I've of the opinion that the Ferrari move is a poisoned challice and always has been. Alonso couldn't fix it. Back in the 90's Prost and Alesi couldn't fix it. The only person that did was Schumie and he brought a whole team of people in to do it.

I'm sure whatever he does this year some people will say its an awful and proof that he doesn't deserve 4 world titles though.

 

[FB]

Given all the team changes you could suggest Ferrari are building the team around Vettel in the way they did Schumacher. Kimi isn't a long term solution so perhaps they are. Schumie won 3 races in his first season at Ferrari, Seb will be doing well to win 2.

 

[Kewee]

RasputinLives ..... Not sure what you mean by the Vettel/Hamilton debate. I've never had a discussion or debate about them with anyone. I like Hamilton as a driver that's about it really.