F1 News

Vettel needs more time: 'Perez said it's the same with him'

Vettel needs more time: 'Perez said it's the same with him'

23-04-2021 15:42 Last update: 15:46
4

GPblog.com

Sebastian Vettel hasn't exactly been having the time of his life in recent years. After his world championships with Red Bull Racing, his Ferrari adventure and dream of following in the footsteps of his hero Michael Schumacher never materialised. So it was time for a new challenge, and that opportunity was offered to him by Lawrence Stroll at Aston Martin. Unfortunately, that too is not going quite as it should.

Time to get used to it

During qualifying in Imola, the likeable German and his green car failed to reach Q3, while in Bahrain he was forced to retire after Q1. After a pit lane start and a penalty, Vettel drove the Imola race to an unnoteworthy 15th position before the decision was made to pull the plug and park the car in the pit box.

Still not the dream start Vettel had undoubtedly imagined. Aston Martin team principal Otmar Szafnauer even thinks that it might take some more time before we will see the real Vettel again. Speaking to Speedweek. com he says: "If the philosophy of the car is completely different to what you had before, then, of course, it takes time to get used to it."

Sergio Perez

Szafnauer was talking about it during the weekend in Imola with Sergio Perez, who is also driving with a new team and knows how difficult it is to get into a new car: "Checo said it is the same with him. It just takes time to find the little details you need to get the best out of the car," he explained. "He needs more time behind the wheel, so the more he drives, the better it is."