Rob Smedley, between 2003 and 2013, engineer at Ferrari, believes that Sebastian Vettel end his formula 1 career after the season 2020, or at least pause – emphasized but at the same time, in 2019 perhaps the best season of the four-time world champion: “You will laugh at me for sure, but I think that 2019 was his best year in formula 1.”
“I think that is, because he had to face the biggest challenge of his career. Everyone has written him off. Because it was easy to do,” said Smedley in an Interview with the Podcast “F1 Nation”. While it is true that the popular color of team-mate Charles Leclerc “will always be better and better,” and that his rise to “means the end of Sebastian”. The Top games on Saturday, EXCLUSIVELY on Sky (display)
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But Vettel is “still a very good driver back up”, and “I think at the end of the year, we have seen the real Sebastian Vettel”. Smedley speaks this in front of all four races: Vettel’s victory in Singapore, technically-related failure in Russia, where he had spearheaded the first Phase of the race, as well as two second places in Japan and Mexico.
Leclerc was returned in the weeks before, with two Victories (Belgium and Italy) from the summer break, and became suddenly the new Superstar of the Tifosi. At that stage Vettel had shown “under a huge pressure, really great services,” says Smedley. “He felt the pressure from the Team, and of Charles, no question about it.”
Vettel at Ferrari: After a difficult beginning
“stepped up, Sometimes he made a lost impression. I’m sure he would admit himself that he has not always shown what he has presented. Especially at the beginning of the season. Both in the Team as compared to team-mates. But then he roused himself. And that’s what makes real Champions.”
“Mattia (Binotto, Ferrari team boss; Anm. d. Red.) will not agree with me sure, but I think that Russia was a turning point. No matter how, and why is he in the lead is gone, but he’s hit in his head deciding that he would stay there now. It is a sign for the Large ones, because they are in their pursuit of Victories so relentlessly.”
At the end of the year, says Smedley, have “given a couple of races,” “because he is not risen, everything. He would be safe.” As a concrete example, he calls the United States Grand Prix, where Vettel with suspension damage, had to give up. He wanted to hold on to: “Charles has done a great job. It is out of the question that he’s a total Superstar.” LAT Sebastian Vettel and Charles Leclerc: One of the hottest team duels F1
You may not find Smedley, Vettel on the inexperienced formula 1 newcomer Leclerc measure – but you had to press Leclerc is already one of the greats: “If such drivers, therefore, they immediately put their stamp. The is no need for two, three years, but you know within a couple of races, that will be a number 1 driver.”
According to Smedley is out of the question, that Leclerc one day be formula 1 world champion: “The question mark that you still have are: Will he be as successful as Michael or Lewis – or he wins Championships, only one or two of the world? This is the question Charles. But this is a luxury question mark.”
“Charles, no pressure. The Team has set at the beginning of the year is still a clear pecking order. He is relaxed, does his thing and is happy. Sebastian had all the pressure, no question. I think so much pressure he’s never had in his career.”
Vettel has caliber, such as Webber and Raikkonen failed
“He is competing against good drivers, even against the world champion. He has dominated Kimi [Raikkonen], and Mark [Webber] was not a snail. Nevertheless, he has beaten him. But as big as 2019, it was no of these challenges. The handle and again to strike back, after a difficult start to the season: I think it was a very special performance.”
Vettel’s perhaps the last realistic opportunity of his career in formula 1 to continue, would be a range of the current Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff. However, the silver arrow factory team sends out no signals that you want to with a pairing of Hamilton-Vettel again potential tensions as once with a Hamilton-Rosberg expose.
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What Smedley is a pity to find: “you can figure it out. I’m always of the opinion that you get the best drivers and then afterwards, the consequences should take care of. Or in the ideal case, one clears the fronts in advance,” he says.
“Mercedes had this Situation once before. This is a headache for Management, no question. Do you want to do that again, now that you have found between Valtteri and Lewis a different Balance? I’m not sure.”
A variant, such as a change to Renault closes Smedley for Vettel: “My personal opinion is that we will not see Sebastian in a Topcockpit, in which his abilities can show. I’m not sure whether we will see him even more”, he feared.
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*The post “Ex-Ferrari engineer Smedley convinced that Vettel was never published better-than-2019” by Motorsport-Total.com. Contact with the executives here.
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