Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel says there was a lot to be learned from his 2020 season, which he acknowledges was his worst in F1.
Vettel finished a lowly 13th in the drivers’ championship, being comprehensively defeated by teammate Charles Leclerc in his last year alongside the Monegasque at Ferrari, before he sets off for Aston Martin in 2021. Having joined the team in 2015, the German failed to achieve the championship triumph he had sought upon his arrival, and his stint at Ferrari is widely regarded – whether accurately or not – as a failure.
Nonetheless, Vettel considers there to have been a number of positive elements of his career with the Italian outfit, notably the passionate memories of his tenure with one of F1’s most historic organisations.
“Obviously there are many reasons why – you can argue – why we did not succeed and finish the mission that we set out to achieve, but what you keep ultimately is the memories and the passion that you shared, which I shared with so many people along the way, so, I have no regrets looking back,” Vettel told media including F1, Motorsport Network, Racefans.net and more.
“Certainly there’s been mistakes, certainly there’s been highs and lows, but I think it has sunk in. I’m not normally the most emotional guy. And I think I’ll remember the Ferrari days for what it means in the big picture. I will treasure because it was a goodbye to many friends and many people that I in a way fell in love with in the last years.
“So those I will we miss, but I’m sure that I won’t lose them completely. You know, we have the saying in German I don’t know if you say the same in English, but you always each other twice in life. So, I think time will tell, but I’ve learned so much from this team and they’ve given me so much I’m very grateful for that. That it’s beyond, lets say, titles of victories. For sure that’s what we were after, but we didn’t get it. But yeah, it doesn’t change anything. I wish this team well and I wish the guys well,” Vettel concluded.
The four-time F1 champion wished his team well, confessing to the fact that 2020 was his worst season, and also saying that there are lessons to be learned from the season. Vettel also expresses excitement for the beginning of his career anew at Aston Martin. “It’s right [that 2020 was my worst year], but I think I learned a lot in the bigger picture,” said Vettel.
“So I think stuff that will help me for whatever comes next. I’m very excited for what comes next. Obviously, as I said many times, I’m sad that I leave the team, but obviously, that’s a decision that’s been taken a long time ago. And I take it as a man. So there’s no problems with that. But I hope because I deeply care about the people that are involved with this team.
“I hope that they will get back to grips and I hope for Charles that he will get a car that he deserves, as I said. I hope for people like Laurent, people in the garage that are passionate, that things will start to come together.
“But equally, as I said, I’m excited for what comes next for me. So obviously, it’s a big… a new chapter, a big start. And yeah, time will tell. But as I said, I think I’ve learned despite the poor results this year, I think I’ve learned a lot about myself, and about my future path in on track and off track,” Vettel concluded.
Here’s Charles Leclerc terms 2020 F1 season as best
Here’s how drivers in 2020 performed in tier system
Here’s Charles Leclerc on Sebastian Vettel
Here’s the drivers’ Top 10 of 2020
Here’s stats difference from 2019 to 2020
