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- Sebastian Vettel ended his Ferrari career with a 14th place in Abu Dhabi.
- Vettel won 14 races for Ferrari, but only one over his last 46 races with the team.
- The 2020 season was the first season in Vettel’s career in which he did not lead a single round.
A Ferrari F1 pessimist might say that there were two winners in the Prancing Horses stable on Sunday.
For one, Ferrari team principal Mattia Binotto was a winner because he stayed home and missed a memorable Abu Dhabi Grand Prix after falling ill after the last race in Bahrain.
Second, driver Sebastian Vettel, who was greeted by his team when he left the garage one last time (pictured above), was also a winner as he was now getting off a sinking ship and preparing for his next chapter at Aston Martin Racing can begin next season.
“Unfortunately there is not much to say (the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix) other than that it was a disappointing end to a disappointing season,” Binotto said in a post on the Ferrari F1 website. “We have to turn the page and look to the future, taking into account what we have learned in these very difficult last months. We have to get back to the top and work continuously on next year’s car to close the performance gap for the best.” . “
Turning this ship around is going to be a great task.
Sebastian Vettel will trade his Ferrari Red next year for a new chance at Aston Martin Racing.
Rudy caressesGetty Images
Ferrari just wasn’t competitive for most of 2020. The team finished sixth in the F1 Constructors’ Championship – the worst result in the series since tenth place in 1980. That was before 2020 drivers Vettel and Charles Leclerc were even born.
The team did not do better in the F1 drivers’ standings either. Leclerc finished eighth in the championship while Vettel finished 13th. It was the first time since 2014 that Ferrari had no driver in the top 4.
Vettel definitely looks like a four-time F1 champion. It’s hard to believe that Vettel scored 240 points a year ago and finished fifth overall. This year he finished his last eleven races with points only three times and finished the campaign with 33 points.
Vettel’s place in the final standings was his lowest since his rookie year 2007 when he finished 14th and scored six points in eight starts. This year was also the first season in Vettel’s career in which he did not lead a single round.
The seven-time F1 champion Lewis Hamilton registers with the team with the four-time champion Vettel before the Ferrari driver’s final race.
Dan Istitene – Formula 1Getty Images
“In general, I hope everyone can have a better season next year,” said Vettel. “It was very hard and exhausting for the obvious reasons. I hope that next year you will see us smile, see us angry and sad, and that not everything is hidden behind a mask. That is the main wish I have.
“I’m looking forward to starting a new journey, but now I’m happy to go home and recharge.”
Leclerc scored a goal in 10 of the 17 races, but couldn’t lead a lap either.
“It’s been a difficult season for us and it’s a shame to end it like this,” said Leclerc. “Even so, we’ve made some progress in the last few races and we hope we can do the same in winter to get stronger again next year.”
Vettel started in 13th and was 14th in his unforgettable Ferrari final.
Rudy caressesGetty Images
Vettel, who is considered the second highest paid driver on the grid, won 14 races during his six-year run at Ferrari, but scored just one win in his last 46 starts. He finished 14th in his Ferrari final.
“I will not remember this race,” said Vettel. “But I will remember the gestures of all the team members, the mechanics, the engineers, the catering people, etc. I think the energy was different today and I felt that and will carry it with me forever.”
Next year, Binotto and the Ferrari Tifosi will welcome Carlos Sainz to replace Vettel. It turned out to be an interesting move for Sainz leaving a McLaren team that finished third in the constructors’ championship.
And if Ferrari fans are looking for a silver lining, it’s worth noting that when Ferrari last fell that far in 1980, the team dropped to fifth the next year and won the championship in 1982.
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“Still, it was a special day because Sebastian drove in our colors for the last time,” said Binotto. “He is the third most successful driver in Ferrari history. Only Michael Schumacher and Niki Lauda have won more races with Scuderia. You only have to look at the numbers to see what traces Sebastian has left in his six years with us in Maranello has left. ”
“He came to us full of hope and his arrival was eagerly awaited. He leaves us with many fond memories and also some regrets for what may have been. It’s a shame, but that’s life, for a driver and for a team. One thing is, even if he is a rival on the track from next year, he will always be part of the Ferrari family. “
Let’s get here from Ferrari fans. What went wrong? Can it be fixed before the new regulations go into effect in 2022? Let us know what you think of Ferrari’s plight in the comments section below.
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