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

 

[F1Brits_90]

Il_leone that what I mean lewis driving style is a perfect fit. but his outside activities would be fine until they start losing then problems with flying around the world & missing Thursdays. but barring some 2019 meltdown by vettel if he loses this championship & is behind next year. then by both contacts end in 2020 lewis would be nearly 36 vettel 34. Mansell was 36 but started at 27. Hamilton & vettel were 22 & 19. by 27 Hamilton had already won 17gps & been world champ. vettel had been crowned a 4 x world champ

 

[Il_leone]

Incidentally Toto has come out and defended the criticism labelled at Vettel so perhaps Mercedes could plan to sign him for 2020

 

[Angel]

Toto and Seb are good friends, Toto went to a birthday party at Sebs home last year I believe which raised some eyebrows at the time. So yeah, I could see them working together, but not whilst Hamilton is at Mercedes I would guess.

 

[Il_leone]

That is why I feel there is still a ticket out for Seb given Mercedes have had a world champion driver for every year since coming back in 2010 but they would love a German world champion ultimately

Yes Toto backed Seb but his own bosses haven't which raises further eyebrows about the team dynamics at Ferrari

Now Seb has come out saying Ferrari do not need to impose team orders yet but then Kimi is not really going to care given he looks like he is leaving F1

 

[Titch]

Kimi will either drive like a demon for the rest of the season ignoring anything the team says to him. Or sit at the back losing Ferrari points. IMO

 

[Il_leone]

Titch Ferrari have already lost a lot of points badly managing Kimi and not replacing him when they should have

 

[Angel]

Sebastian has admitted he's his own biggest enemy, he seems to realise it so let's hope he can do something about it. I believe he's right, he's over driving, trying too hard and making silly mistakes that he shouldn't be making. The team have made a few as well, but then we're all only human so these things happen.

Singapore Grand Prix 2018: Ferrari's Sebastian Vettel says he is his own 'biggest enemy'

 

[Il_leone]

The fact that LeClerc will be his teammate next year so Ferrari are future planning now and I said Seb position as No 1 could come in question given no No 1 driver has been at Ferrari that long and delivered zilch titles.

Some of the things Seb's been saying and actions shows there could be some fractious relationship between himself and the management appearing in the past few weeks. He's certainly making himself a bigger target from within Ferrari

If Seb does not win the title there is a chance he may get the boot but I think he might just fancy going over to Mercedes in 2020 knowing Bottas has a 1 year contract

 

[Clay]

The fact that LeClerc will be his teammate next year so Ferrari are future planning now and I said Seb position as No 1 could come in question given no No 1 driver has been at Ferrari that long and delivered zilch titles.

Except Matt Adore, who drove at ferrari for 5 years.

 

[Il_leone]

Is Vettel going to implode like the way Alonso did at Mclaren in 2007 if LeClerc starts seriously beating him ?

there are question marks whether Vettel's performances have dropped or is it Kimi raising his when they have been teammates?

 

[RasputinLives]

Berger drove 6 years without a title. Alesi drove 5. Schumacher drove 4 before he won his first title.

 

[Il_leone]

I said 5 years - that should be 5 consecutive years

- Ferrari had the perfect excuse with Schumi - he was challenging before he had his crash in 1999 and when he came back he was even quicker so if he did not crash he would have won the title

The argument rightly or wrongly Irvine had his shot and he did not galvanise the team like Schumacher did although both Brawn and Todt did not exactly back him publicly

 

[Il_leone]

Vettel should be on the verge of a fifth world title

If my aunt had balls she would be my uncle so it seems but does anyone disagree with what might have been for Seb and Ferrari?
but

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/905866/1/comebacks-show-vettel-can-beat-hamilton-title-horner

 

[Speshal]

given Mercedes have had a world champion driver for every year since coming back in 2010 but they would love a German world champion ultimately

Oh Haiiiiii, 'member me? It's Nico.

 

[Il_leone]

Speshal Unfortunately Mercedes did not get long to celebrate it and market that given Nico retired 5 days later

 

[Il_leone]

How will Vettel's legacy be affected by 2018?

I thought I'd post this as after Japan given the criticism aimed at Vettel , has he reached a watershed moment that will define his legacy as an F1 legend or great?

 

[F1Brits_90]

someone needs to tell vettel that just because your a world champion racing number 5 a moustache isnt compulsory. hes turning into nigel mansell

 

[Andyoak]

And he's making the effort to whinge as much as Nigel too.

 

[Angel]

He needs to shave off the dead slug!

Also, Seb so wasn't happy because Kimi was steaming drunk. He did the smiling thing but you could see he was seething. Kimi was having a great time though.

 

[RasputinLives]

Free bar was the only way to get Kimi to turn up.