Formula 1: Mega turnaround to Sebastian Vettel? Insider unpacks: “They could all experience our blue miracle”

Maranello / Istanbul – This is the question that could also arise Sebastian Vettel (33) sometimes wonders: Have you lost the ability to drive a car very fast? Or has in his teammate Charles Leclerc just found his master? Or there is – other than that Scuderia Ferrari argues – but differences in the company cars of the two in Formula 1?

F1: Sebastian Vettel and Leclerc on Ferrari – strange turnaround in the qualifying duel

The sheer numbers speak clearly in Leclerc’s favor. At least at first glance: that internal team Qualifying-Duell Monegasse has been able to clearly win 11: 2 in the 13 races so far this season. The only strange thing is that after the first three races the Heppenheimer was still leading with 2: 1. And only after that, Vettel’s problems in taming the Ferrari increased proportionally.

That the Aging process Suddenly started in German after the third Silverstone Grand Prix and suddenly not as efficient as before, it is considered rather unlikely. But it is a fact that from the fourth round of the season onwards, Leclerc was able to regularly drive the Ferrari to the limit, while Vettel was increasingly able to drive with a special stubborn rear axle had to fight.

Insiders like Ralf Schumacher have a guess: “I think Ferrari went in Leclerc’s direction for all the technical updates. And that Leclerc got along better than Sebastian with the changes in driving behavior afterwards. Ralf Schumacher continues: “If one driver stays with the team and the other leaves the team early, you naturally tend to respond to the wishes of the driver who will also be present in the future.”

Sebastian Vettel in Formula 1: qualifying was his favorite discipline

Sebastian Vettel himself remained with his criticisms Driving behavior of the car back to Imola. “Especially in qualifying, I can’t get to the time of Charles. In the race it was fine, but if you are too far behind in qualifying, you usually get stuck in traffic and the race is almost over after the start. “

Alone: ​​the past has shown that qualifying has so far been more of a flagship discipline for Heppenheimer. In his Ferrari years with Kimi Räikkönen from 2015 to 2018, he was 60 times faster in qualifying in 81 races than the Finn, who is still considered to be at full throttle and one of racing’s greatest natural talents. During his time at Red Bull, Vettel was able to prove he could be extremely fast.

He won it in his five years along with Mark Webber Qualifications-Duell with the Australian clearly 71 to 23. “Here,” recalls Vettel’s boss at the time, Helmut Marko, “Webber had a reputation for being one of the fastest drivers in the fight for the best starting position.” The numbers clearly demonstrate this: Nick Heidfeld was beaten by Webber in the qualifying duel at Williams 2005 (5: 9) just as clearly as 2016 world champion Nico Rosberg (5:13) a year later.

Sebastian Vettel on Aston Martin in 2021: “Then we could live our blue miracle”

Marko analyzes: “With Sebastian everything about the car has to fit together, otherwise he will start thinking. That’s why he had problems with Ricciardo in 2014. “The figures also show that, like this year’s Ferrari, the 2014 Red Bull did not match the German’s driving style: in 19 races, Webber’s compatriot Daniel Ricciardo was Twelve times faster in qualifying. Marko: “But Red Bull wasn’t a winning car, Mercedes was way ahead. When Sebastian is one with a car, he’s hard to beat. You could see that clearly over the years. 2010 to 2013, when we were able to win four world titles in a row with him. ” Therefore Marko believes: “If the Aston Martin with all Mercedes 2021 technology adapts Vettel again becomes, we could all experience our blue miracle. Of course, I hope it’s not in my best interest. “

Sebastian Vettel has certainly not forgotten how to drive with extreme speed. Therefore, record champion Bernd Schneider, who followed Vettel’s career in karting days, suspects: “The big difference for Leclerc must have something to do with the car …”

Formula 1 is visiting Turkey. Lewis Hamilton is close to his seventh title: we follow the race weekend live.

Rubriklistenbild: © dpa / Photo4, Lapresse