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Wolff: 'We can see the qualities of champion Vettel back again'
- GPblog.com
A four-time world champion, Sebastian Vettel was recruited by Ferrari years ago to help the Italian team to a new championship. The German failed to do so and last year he was more or less sidelined as Ferrari preferred Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz. Vettel found new shelter at Aston Martin and this is where he may be able to revive to former glory.
Downward spiral
Toto Wolff has, of course, also seen Vettel's 'decline' in recent years, but argues that the German is still capable of getting back to his old level. He says this in conversation with Sky Germany. "Sebastian has been on a downward spiral in recent years, where I think it has been mainly the interpersonal aspect that has been a big factor," he said.
"He is still really young, in his early thirties, with an incredible amount of experience. People forget that he was the youngest world champion at Red Bull. In that respect, I am convinced that we can see back the Sebastian that we had not only in the Red Bull years, but also a Sebastian who was really strong and was our main rival in the first Ferrari period."
Top years
With the latter, Wolff is of course referring to 2015, 2017 and 2018, when the German was still a serious contender for the title. Certainly in the last two years mentioned, Vettel was second in the championship behind Hamilton every time. In 2019, things deteriorated despite the Ferrari's rebound in the second part of the season, but when the FIA intervened, it was over. 2020 has proved that.
Now that Vettel has switched to Aston Martin, which has very clear ambitions, he will have another chance. Aston Martin has set itself the goal to become champion in three to five years and Vettel will undoubtedly contribute to the development of the team, but whether he will still be active in Formula 1... remains to be seen. Perhaps that is why Vettel is pinning his hopes on faster development, as he hinted in an interview.