Petrol heads, before the Vettel fanboys get their knickers in a twist, I am not bashing him. A lot of people think I hate or despise Vettel but I do not, I just do not think he’s the best thing since sliced bread. I’ve been watching F1 for decades and generally you can tell when someone is something special. He has shown glimpses but I’m not a 100% convinced yet.
This article is designed primarily for the Vettel fans. On many a thread and on forums I’ve been asking his fans what it is about Vettel that they like so much. We can look at Alonso, Hamilton, Kimi, Button etc. and identify aspects to their racing ability and some quite superlative drives as to reasons why they have so many fans but we cannot say the same about Vettel which leads me to believe that a lot of Vettel fans are glory hunters who just enjoy supporting someone who is winning.
They talk about his drive in Abu Dhabi but ignore his accident behind the safety car. Some say he is coolness supreme and super intelligent but he is coached all the time by his engineer and makes a variety of mistakes when driving. For example, in Canada he would have crashed on his own and thrown away the race lead due to in my honest opinion, immature driving. Let us also not forget his quite unique accident with Button in 2010. Also when things aren't going his way he's crying on the radio for his team to do something.
So Vettel fans, this is your opportunity to bring me around to your way of thinking and please do not use the Torro Rosso win, things like that have happened in F1 in the past, it was not a unique occurrence.
Why do you guys love Vettel? I believe it is glory hunting because apart from Abu Dhabi I cannot think of a race where I said, feck me, that guy is phenomenal, look at the way he won. It is generally, lead from the front and disappear down the road. Which is boring, no matter who is doing it.
I’m willing to listen and open my mind, please give me reasons why you love him so much.
I believe most of us are racing fans so apart from the wins, what else do you love this 'racer' for.
Many thanks
The Curious Case of Sebastian Vettel
posted on 18/9/13
Where are all the Vettel fans then?
Scared of debating with me because I will beat you all with my whims?
posted on 18/9/13
I think he has driven better than he ever has this year, very consistent. He does however have the best car. It may surprise you MUDD but I would say he has been the best driver this year for the first time in his career. Lewis has had a few issues (mainly brakes) settling in at Merc and Alonso has made mistakes that cost points. I still maintain that the Ferrari was the best car for the first few races.
So if titles should go to the best driver every year, this will be his first deserved one imo, but of course the season is still young-ish and it is easier to be consistent when you lead from the front as he has recently. Even when Merc have stolen pole, they are cannon fodder in race trim.
Bring on 2014.
posted on 18/9/13
I'm not a fan of Vettel but I am an admirer of his talents. He has been very fortunate to have had some of the all time great cars of the modern generation at his disposal. This limits his chance to show what he can do. You only need to be good to win with a great car but that doesn't mean you're not great.
Despite the fact that Vettel will most likely be a 4xWDC soon I can see why the jury is out, and as it stands theres nothing Vettel can do to fix it. We can't expect him to sabotage his own car just so he can race the other 'greats'.
The other day Luca di Montezemolo said that it was his opinion that Raikkonen, Alonso, Vettel and Hamilton who were the current strongest drivers in F1 and I agree with him. Its hard for Vettel to show his worth as he's not had the chance to perform in the clangers that Alonso, Hamilton and Raikkonen have performed in. The jury is still out but I would seriously question anyone who thought he was definitely not a great driver, for now we can only say possibly.
posted on 18/9/13
comment by Aristodemus (U3765)
====
Excellent post, but like you rightly said, it's easy to drive well when your car is the biznaz.
I've said on many occasions, if I had a car faster than anyone elses, I would get Vettel and the current RedBull team to manage it as they work so well together unlike the imbeciles at McLaren who contrived to scupper their drivers chances last season and are doing an excellent job of destroying 2 drivers with talent at the moment
posted on 18/9/13
Cheers pal, yeah I agree that RB don't just have a great car but they also make very good strategic decisions and generally the quickest pit stops. Credit where it is due, they are a great team.
posted on 19/9/13
i would count myself as a Vettel fan.
i like him because he is ruthless. i was screaming for him to pass webber when team orders denied him. Win at all costs.Its a champions attitude, not necassarily honourable, but i dont think we won the war by just honourable means etc.
i like germany, i like germans. They are very similiar to us in many ways, but one way they are not is there sense of inheritance. They want to earn everything, they dont feel they deserve to be given anything (i know massive sweeping judegement of circa 80m people, but thats my experience of them).
Also, Germany + England = Greatness (newey and vettel, Brawn and Shoemaker)
His interview on Top Gear was quite endearing aswell, not as serious as people perceive germans to be.
posted on 22/9/13
Too many times I have seen the sudden swerve into the path of a rival when he is not capable of winning fair and square.
That behaviour will always be unacceptable in a sporting arena of any true worth, although the fans of a unsporting "champion" will stoop to any level to defend the unpleasant side of a "hero".
Vettel could have been too good a champion to need such dirty tactics but he has chosen not to be, he will resort to anything to win.
That will always attract some, but it will just as certainly prove too ugly to any hoping to see a real sporting contest.
I just hope one day the little man reaps what he sows with interest.
I don't like him, he is a good driver, but just like Senna before him, too unsporting to ever be a great, and that is because he cannot take the pressure.
Great champions can.
posted on 1/10/13
Well then POB, Just who would you rate as a great ?
Fangio,Clarke,Hill............... They all had their moments.
posted on 1/10/13
Sorry, that's Clark not Clarke