Aston Martin credits Sebastian Vettel for the impact he has had on the team in the two F1 seasons as they know they haven’t given him the car he should have.
Having had a rough end with Ferrari, Vettel found a new challenge at Aston Martin in 2021 and was looking towards the 2022 season to put them in a fighting position. There was certain optimism in the German especially at a time when he needed it.
He joined the underdogs who had achieved good results with limited budget. And with the buyout of Lawrence Stroll, things certainly looked up for Aston Martin. However, as it has been the case for some time, it isn’t difficult even with the regulation changes.
The 2022 changes kept the Top 3 teams ahead while the mid-pack did close up. Aston Martin kind of struggled even though Vettel and Lance Stroll put up some fighting performances. The team credited the German for the impact he has had.
“He’s had a big impact on our team,” said Tom McCullough. “As you say he’s been here now two years. He came from two big teams with the experience of winning races, winning championships. So, he brought a lot of knowledge to our team, on a lot of small details, on how to operate and how to develop the car and what actually is important.
“The driver is one of the best sensors. We’ve got some very good tools and software but the driver input is key. He’s very motivational, he’s a lovely human being, you worked really hard, he pushes everyone in every area. And he’s helped us lift our game. Unfortunately, we’ve not quite given him a car good enough for him to challenge further up the grid.
“But we’ve definitely learned a lot from him and improved. And I think, hopefully in the next few years, we’re going to see the results of that,” summed up McCullough. At the same time, team boss Mike Krack talks about the moments he has had with Vettel in this period.
“I think there were many,” said Krack. “There were many highlights but I think the highlights are maybe not what you expect – great moments – it’s the moments you are going through difficult times and getting yourself out.
“Like when you have good conversations about what to do with the car, what he needs. These are more highlights for us than seeing it then happen on the track when he gets better results out of it,” summed up Krack.
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Here’s mini documentary for Sebastian Vettel
Here’s potential earning of Sebastian Vettel
Here’s Fernando Alonso on his first day with Aston Martin
