Is Vettel's career over?

[chillibowl]

Originally Posted by Richard Casto

With all of that being said, I think if Vettel was OK with driving for a non-top team, and reduced his salary demands to match the capabilities of those same teams, and showed enthusiasm to remain in the sport, that space would be made for him. But even the mid-field teams like the idea of finding "the next great thing" (especially on the cheap). So some of them may just like the idea of gambling on younger driver vs a prior WDC.

on the cheap or either bringing in money/sponsors.

this may be neither here nor there, but i wonder how effective Seb would be at bringing in sponsors? he does not seem to embrace the social media/self promotion aspect of the job nor has he really had a need to as RB and Ferrari have their own systems/advertising strategies.

even Kimi, by comparison, has taken to social media and brings his own personal sponsors with him...i think that Singha beer is his personal sponsor and there have been a few others over the years.

im sure Seb has done his fair share of commercials but all at the behest of his team i would think (he may do much more for the German market which i would never see though), but could his lack of social media use/lack of personal promotion be hurting him?

[Adam43]

Originally Posted by Greem

I'll just leave this here, noting that I've never met him so I can't offer an opinion either way. Seems sound though.

https://scontent-lhr8-1.xx.fbcdn.net...38&oe=5EE7B85B

I don't doubt he's a decent man.

I remember him sticking up for Hamilton in a press conference after a particularly inane question from a journo.

[chunterer]

Originally Posted by Adam43

I don't doubt he's a decent man.

I remember him sticking up for Hamilton in a press conference after a particularly inane question from a journo.

Yes he did some very interesting and considered things at times which showed intelligence and awareness. All the more strange that often his on track persona painted the opposite picture.

[S griffin]

He always came across as a decent man who wouldn’t hurt a fly. No doubt though the pressure can get a bit much, but when all is well, you see his talent

[Skam85]

Originally Posted by chunterer

Yes he did some very interesting and considered things at times which showed intelligence and awareness. All the more strange that often his on track persona painted the opposite picture.

Must be a German thing. Schumacher was similar.

Pushed and went over the boundaries on track. From all reports a caring man off track, knew everyone in the team by name as well as their families.

[Casper]

I am beginning to wonder if all the pundits have thought right through the Vettel departure scenario. This is not the same as a normal season of driver changes as the season has not started and may not start for that matter. He has until the end of the year before he is out of contract and he may have a plan or inside knowledge that lands him a seat at the end or this season, he has until the end of this year and it need not be declared right now. My gut feeling says he has found the family and not travelling scenario more appealing than racing once was.

[VIVA GT]

I stated many pages back in this thread that the Covid - 19 pandemic has changed what we all consider as normal and has made a number of people re-address many things that they do in, and with their life. I have quite a strong admiration for Seb (but don't always like him if you can understand the difference) and do think that he is a very intelligent person. I honestly feel that he's had time to think about what he sees as important things to do throughout the rest of his life and has probably decided that proving again that he's faster at driving around in circles than anyone else is (again) is not so important.

[Akrapovic]

Originally Posted by chunterer

Yes he did some very interesting and considered things at times which showed intelligence and awareness. All the more strange that often his on track persona painted the opposite picture.

Worth remember that the on track persona is what the TV producers want you to see. They are building characters. It is no coincidence that every F1 driver on the grid appears to be completely 1 dimensional and built around a single character trait when in the car. Yet outside of the car, they look a little different.

Remember before the current TV owners Sebs radio calls involved asking about what tyres others were on. Or at Valencia where he watched the team put Webber on different tyres on the big screen as he went by, and asked how Mark was doing - without the team telling him they'd switched him tyres.

We just don't get this depth anymore, as the producers attempt to build NASCAR style personalities for everyone.

[Casper]

Liberty are a media company so expect more and more presentation from that angle. It is not motor sport any longer it is a media event that has racing cars in it.

[Adam43]

And how long has this accusation been thrown at F1?! 20, 30 years?

Just watch a documentary on Earnhardt and Gordon. It was all about personalities.

I agree I want to see it raw, but as soon as it is on telly then that goes away. I’m just not sure there is anything to be gained from this line of thought. Other than don’t bother. Maybe stipulate that rubbish TV channels can’t cover it?

[Compromised]

Originally Posted by Adam43

And how long has this accusation been thrown at F1?! 20, 30 years?

Hmmm...seems to coincide with F1's decline rather neatly.

[S griffin]

Things aren’t bad, but they could be better. F1’s had some good ideas, but then introduced gimmicks like DRS, rather than having big slicked low downforce cars

[uesugi kenshin]

Originally Posted by S griffin

Things aren’t bad, but they could be better. F1’s had some good ideas, but then introduced gimmicks like DRS, rather than having big slicked low downforce cars

And other gimmicks such as racing in countries were their despotic leaders torture and murder their own citizens

[crmalcolm]

Originally Posted by S griffin

big slicked low downforce cars

Some might see that as a gimmick.

[chillibowl]

Originally Posted by crmalcolm

Some might see that as a gimmick.

whats next? after the robots take over, will drivers be considered gimmicks?

props to Vettee for getting out before racing becomes pants!

[S griffin]

Hopefully better racing. Keep the drivers and keep it simple, no more add ons. Vettel has had a good career, but he may just find the clock might be against him if he’s back next season. He might not recover after this

[bjohnsonsmith]

Originally Posted by S griffin

Hopefully better racing. Keep the drivers and keep it simple, no more add ons. Vettel has had a good career, but he may just find the clock might be against him if he’s back next season. He might not recover after this

If you mean the clock might be against him because of his age, he will be 33 in July. Lewis is 35.

[Adam43]

Tick tick tick Vettel!

[V8 Fireworks]

Originally Posted by S griffin

Things aren’t bad, but they could be better. F1’s had some good ideas, but then introduced gimmicks like DRS, rather than having big slicked low downforce cars

They currently have enormous slicks actually. 275mm in the front, 405mm in the rear. That's massive.

Why do you want low downforce for?

Low downforce means slow, the drivers were already bored driving the low downforce 2014-2016 cars... they were just too darn slow and not stimulating enough!

Formula One itself, it’s not in great shape. We're disappointed with it. We all talk. All the drivers talk and we're disappointed where they’ve gone with the cars… the lap-times. And for me, five or six seconds [faster] is not enough. The reference point they have now is horrendous, in terms of pace. They need to be much, much quicker than that. They need to make heavy changes.

- Mark Webber on the low-downforce 2015 F1 cars

[wnut]

We have been round and round the low downforce debate.

Essentially high downforce and huge slicks, engineering out the problem of too much weight, and creates huge wakes that mean following is impossible and racing non existent.

[DreamLine]

I think yes, is over. There are rumors that he will go Endurance races in Europe. The Nürburgring wants to take him on contract for VLN and 24h.

[Adam43]

I bet. It would be perfect to push their product.

Welcome to 10-10ths. Tell us about yourself

[DreamLine]

Yes, sir. They need a famous face to push the racing series. Few people in the world know about her. The name of the series was changed, now we need a racer, like a magnet.
Long ago, there was talk of M. Schumacher. Now he is gone and another cool racing pilot is needed ( from Germany ).

[chillibowl]

welcome DreamLine

i would like to see him pursue the triple crown. Alonso wasnt the first but he has resparked the interest in it so thats where the post retirement bar (for Monaco GP winners that is) is set for me now.

post covid, having a couple of drivers going for it may provide some much needed attention for motorsports.

[Adam43]

It was mentioned elsewhere that Indy will be on a different weekend to Monaco next year.