F1’s turbo hybrid era ended with the season finale at the 2021 Abu Dhabi GP. Mercedes and Lewis Hamilton dominated the era as they battled for the championship every season. F1 posted a video on YouTube, compiling the best moments from that era.
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Surprisingly, four-time world champion Sebastian Vettel was not mentioned in the video.
Vettel had dominated the sport from 2010 to 2013, winning four straight titles. But he failed to add to his championship record in the turbo-hybrid era, losing to Lewis in 2017 and 2018.
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His snub in the video enraged his fans and they took to social media to express their disappointment.
F1 shot a video about the 2014-2021 era and devoted a full 0 seconds to the title fight between Hamilton and Vettel
I stg 2017-18 are so underrated as title fights even by F1 itself
— Ewan//SP841 (@SmokingPuppy842) January 22, 2022
Stats from Sebastian Vettel’s hybrid era:
Wins: 14
Podium places: 60
Pole positions: 12th
Fastest laps: 16
And yet F1 has chosen to completely neglect him in their video, which reviews the era to this point. It’s a shame that even the official account doesn’t respect one of their greatest champions. pic.twitter.com/M1vFQnHb8P
— Taylor (@TPowling_) January 21, 2022
Until 2021 (2014-2020) Sebastian Vettel was the only driver to have challenged Mercedes for a title
He wasn’t mentioned once in this video, his name wasn’t mentioned once… pic.twitter.com/gxh60ZIwhr
— Dean
(@Seb5meister) January 21, 2022
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Mark Webber explains why Sebastian Vettel failed in the turbo hybrid era
As reported by Givemesport, former Red Bull driver Mark Webber mentioned that the four-time world champion had lost his confidence. He also outlined some of the areas Vettel didn’t like in the turbo-hybrid era.
“I think his confidence is incredibly low now. I think the standards of these cars don’t suit Sebastian very well. You’re not his kind of car. He likes cars with a lot of grip, a lot of downforce and he’s a very sensitive driver with a lot of feeling for the car,” said Vettel’s former team-mate.
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Formula One F1 – Saudi Arabian Grand Prix – Jeddah Corniche Circuit, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia – December 4, 2021, Aston Martin’s Sebastian Vettel during qualifying pool via REUTERS/Giuseppe Cacace
“Remember Monza in the rain with the Toro Rosso? It was amazing. That day he escaped everyone. But if the Pirelli has less grip… the cars give you less confidence now and the rules don’t suit him.
That’s a problem for him, but it’s about being good with all the rules. Look at Hamilton, he’s strong all the time. I think the stars are against him. And he gets tired. He’s put a lot of effort into Ferrari,” Webber said.
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Well, Webber’s assessment perfectly sums up the challenges Vettel has faced since 2013. Hopefully the new era of F1 will be friendlier for the four-time world champion and hopefully we can see him at his best again.
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