PARIS – Sebastian Vettel is optimistic about his new Formula 1 career at Aston Martin after having had a miserable season with Ferrari last season.
Things went from bad to terrible for the four-time F1 champion in 2020.
He had just one podium finish and finished 10 of 17 races outside the top 10 last season in a tense atmosphere made worse by the fact that Ferrari didn’t offer him a new contract.
“The whole year was a challenge. I am obviously not happy with how the last year has gone in terms of performance and my performance, “he said.” There are things that didn’t go well and things that I would have liked to have done differently. It’s no secret that at certain times I wasn’t the happiest. “
Last year was a big crash for Vettel, whose confidence was already shaken after losing the 2017 and 2018 titles to Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton despite leading both championships halfway.
A driver who still shares the F1 record for most wins in a season with Michael Schumacher – 13 with Red Bull in 2013 – and 53 wins out of his 121 podiums, was won by his junior team-mate Charles Leclerc in 2019 and 2020 exceeded.
When Leclerc got a lucrative new contract until 2024 – and Vettel wasn’t even offered one – it became clear who was considered number one on the team. The frown deepened on Vettel’s face when he finished the last three races of 2020 in 13th, 12th and 14th.
“It wasn’t by my standards. I never really cared what people think, say or write, “said Vettel.” That is why it is important that I am at peace with myself. (I have) very, very high expectations of myself. “
He even considered retiring, but a move to Aston Martin has revived the 33-year-old German driver’s craze.
“I’m not too old, there are older drivers who are returning to the grid,” he said, referring to 39-year-old Fernando Alonso. whether) you have the team and the car around you. “
The Aston Martin team uses Mercedes engines and is owned by Canadian billionaire Lawrence Stroll, whose son Lance Stroll is the team’s other driver.
The plan is to make Aston Martin a title contender within three to five years.
Vettel said the atmosphere in the Aston Martin was less stuffy than in the powerhouse Ferrari. The Italian manufacturer with its bright red car remains the most famous name in F1 history. But Ferrari hasn’t won a drivers ‘title since Kimi Raikkonen in 2007, and its last constructors’ title was ’08.
“It’s obviously very small (at Aston Martin) when you first compare it to Ferrari,” Vettel said of the work that is being done behind the scenes. “
A new chapter in Vettel’s career begins on Sunday at the Bahrain Grand Prix.
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