“Ferrari has understood that it will not carry Vettel forward”

(Motorsport-Total.com) – Marc Surer can well imagine that Sebastian Vettel will be on the podium at the opening of the 2021 season, his first race for Aston Martin: “I would trust him! If the car does what it wants, it’s him someone who then does it, “says the Formula 1 expert in an interview that was posted Saturday on the YouTube channels of Motorsport-Total.com and Formel1.de, among other places.

© C. de Bastiani (Motorsport Network)

Sebastian Vettel in the possible Aston Martin 2021 outfit (photomontage) Enlarge

“He knows how to win races and he knows how to take it home. He hasn’t forgotten it. Even though he’s going through the idle now,” says Surer and suspects, “That only strengthens him at the end. When things get better, he knows all the bad. experiences he has had may even help him. “

Both Vettel and Ferrari have mentally canceled the 2020 season, believes the 82-time Grand Prix participant: “It struck me when you said, actually there are no problems with Vettel, everything works smoothly,” Surer wonders on the statements by sporting director Laurent Mekies after finishing 14th in Imola.

“They actually gave up on him. I don’t think they are deliberately discriminating against him. But somehow they just saw that they would not carry him forward”, the Swiss analyzes and sees “clear parallels” with his compatriot Thomas Lüthi in the World Championship. Moto2: “The boy has always competed for the win. Only because he didn’t trust him.”

The situation is similar with Vettel and Ferrari. The SF1000 is becoming “more and more a Leclerc car,” says Surer, because Charles Leclerc fares much better than Vettel and Ferrari consequently goes more in Leclerc’s direction than in Vettel’s with the updates. This makes the situation “obviously worse” for Vettel.

“But now he’s finished the season, he’s not throwing in the towel, that also shows his size. I think he’s cool,” praises Surer – and gives Vettel hope that everything will be better in 2021. At Aston Martin, he’s convinced that “everything will be done to give him the car he wants. Ferrari hasn’t done it since Leclerc was here”.

“Because they have simply seen that there is someone who is our future. And at Aston Martin it will be so that they will completely trust Vettel and respond to his wishes”, says the Formula 1 expert – and also explains why: ” Now they have bought a four-time world champion and are paying for it with real money. “

Furthermore, Vettel should also better adapt to the driving behavior of the “pink Mercedes” (which will be green in 2021): Racing Point, Surer analyzes, is “basically a good-natured car. Because a Stroll can also drive fast with it.” This is positive for the four-time world champion, “because next year we will drive more or less the same cars”.

“Stroll probably couldn’t shine with Red Bull either. But he can do it with the car. He even beat Perez a couple of times. That means something. But I think it’s also because the car is relatively easy to drive – like a Mercedes. , where many others would probably be fast too, “says Surer.

By the way: The entire interview with Marc Surer (55 minutes) is available in full as a “Starting-Grid” podcast, on iTunes or directly from our cooperation partner meinsportpodcast.de. More video clips from the podcast will appear on Motorsport-Total.com and Formel1.de’s YouTube channels in the coming days.