SEBASTIAN VETTEL MAY be 92 points clear at the helm of the 2011 Drivers’ Championship but not everyone in Formula 1 is amazed by the 24-year-old’s seemingly invincible form.
The German has won seven of the 12 Grand Prix races so far this year but is not the complete package, according to Ferrari boss Stefano Domenicali.
The Italian has insisted that Vettel is “still not a leader” and will need to gain further experience before he can be considered the same calibre of driver as Scuderia racer Fernando Alonso or ex-Ferrari man Michael Schumacher.
Advertisement
“Vettel is still not a leader,” Domenicali said in an interview with Bild am Sonntag. “He is on the way there but he’s still not as far (along) as Michael and Fernando. He is simply too young and still has to gain experience.
“Look at Michael and Fernando. Both are fighting like lions to bring their team to the front. They take care of details that others do not notice. Sebastian is close, but right now there are only two (leaders).”
Despite the assertion, Ferrari’s team principal did concede that while his team may not be interested in trying to sign Vettel at the moment, the situation could change in the future. He concluded:
“Currently, we do not need a leader. At some point, we may and then Sebastian is a candidate.”
Schumacher has been linked with a second retirement from the sport in recent weeks as his struggles with Mercedes continue. The German did, however, look more like the driver that claimed seven world titles in Belgium last month, where he finished fifth having started at the back of the grid. Domenicali, for his part, believes his former colleague would have added to his GP victories tally had he been driving a better car since his return. He said:
“You will hear nothing bad from me. If Michael was driving in a Red Bull or Ferrari, he would probably already have won a race in the last two years.”
The Formula 1 grid is in Monza this weekend for the Italian Grand Prix.
Vettel is no Schumi... yet, says Ferrari boss
SEBASTIAN VETTEL MAY be 92 points clear at the helm of the 2011 Drivers’ Championship but not everyone in Formula 1 is amazed by the 24-year-old’s seemingly invincible form.
The German has won seven of the 12 Grand Prix races so far this year but is not the complete package, according to Ferrari boss Stefano Domenicali.
The Italian has insisted that Vettel is “still not a leader” and will need to gain further experience before he can be considered the same calibre of driver as Scuderia racer Fernando Alonso or ex-Ferrari man Michael Schumacher.
“Vettel is still not a leader,” Domenicali said in an interview with Bild am Sonntag. “He is on the way there but he’s still not as far (along) as Michael and Fernando. He is simply too young and still has to gain experience.
Despite the assertion, Ferrari’s team principal did concede that while his team may not be interested in trying to sign Vettel at the moment, the situation could change in the future. He concluded:
Schumacher has been linked with a second retirement from the sport in recent weeks as his struggles with Mercedes continue. The German did, however, look more like the driver that claimed seven world titles in Belgium last month, where he finished fifth having started at the back of the grid. Domenicali, for his part, believes his former colleague would have added to his GP victories tally had he been driving a better car since his return. He said:
The Formula 1 grid is in Monza this weekend for the Italian Grand Prix.
READ – Latest crash my fault, admits Hamilton
WATCH – College football player turns punt return fumble into a TD
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
Fernando Alonso Michael Schumacher Sebastian Vettel Stefano Domenicali Still Learning