What's wrong with Sebastian Vettel?

Sebastian Vettel's Aston Martin team boss Otmar Szafnauer robbed his tormented star driver of hope for a quick way out of his Formula 1 misery over a late snack. Significant upgrades to the car, which has already been dubbed a James Bond speedster, will only be available after the upcoming Grand Prix in Portugal in two weeks, Vettel's boss announced with a bite in his mouth after the German's next debacle. “Too many mistakes still happen to us, including me” Sebastian Vettel Difficult times for Sebastian Vettel. © APA/afp / HANDOUT

Vettel's problems have been piling up since he moved to the English factory team this season. At least on this point, the four-time world champion experiences a certain form of continuity - in the final phase at Ferrari it was somehow the same for the Hessian. “The feeling has gotten a little better. But at the moment there are still very few laps that run without problems for us. Too many mistakes still happen to us, including me,” said Vettel with his arms folded after the Imola chaos on Sunday.

For reasons still unknown, the brakes on the starting grid overheated, causing the casing to burn through. Since his car wasn't ready on time, Vettel was given a time penalty - before a gearbox failure on the last lap caused him to have to enter the garage early.

“The worm was in there from start to finish,” summed up Vettel after Max Verstappen’s gala drive in the Red Bull ahead of Mercedes catcher Lewis Hamilton. “Verstappen beats the unsinkable Hamilton,” was the headline Trademarks in Spain about the duel that took place miles away from Vettel. Vettel encourages himself 15th place at the start of the season in Bahrain, 15th place at the continuation in Italy - the last time Vettel was without points in the first two Grand Prix was in 2009. Back then, he ended up finishing second in the World Championships. A repetition is illusory. “We're at the back of the midfield at the moment, but that can change quickly if we take small steps forward and there's a bit of calm,” Vettel encouraged himself. “If the philosophies of the cars are so different, then it takes time” Aston Martin team boss Otmar Szafnauer Humans and machines are not yet on the same wavelength. “If the philosophies of the cars are so different, then it takes time,” explained Szafnauer, referring to Vettel’s switch from Ferrari to the Aston Martin powered by a Mercedes engine. “We weren't as reliable as we wanted to be in the winter. Otherwise Seb would be at a completely different point in his learning curve.”

Aston Martin has learned a depressing lesson from the new aerodynamics rules: the AMR21 with its low rear is significantly disadvantaged by the rule change. A competitor like Red Bull with a higher angle of attack on its car does not groan under the amendment, which was introduced by the world motorsport association for safety reasons. How long will the team owner stay calm? Behind the scenes in Imola, Aston Martin tried to use its influence and persuade the regulators to change course. Red Bull team boss Christian Horner smugly described this project as “a bit naive”. That means: Aston Martin probably has no chance. Vettel's teammate Lance Stroll, son of team owner Lawrence, has collected 5 points so far. © APA/afp / MIGUEL MEDINA

Team co-owner Lawrence Stroll is angry about the disastrous start; after all, it's his investment that matters to him. Before the start of the season, the Canadian billionaire had set third place in the constructors' championship as his goal with Vettel as the figurehead and his son Lance in the second cockpit. Without Formula 1 successes, the hoped-for advertising effect, which should also bring about a sales boost for Aston Martin's road sports cars, is missing.

Vettel hopes to be able to take “a step forward” with upgrades in the next races. And Szafnauer promised that they would “work constantly” to get out of the crisis. For Stroll, that's the least. He wants results.

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What's wrong with Sebastian Vettel?

The start of his Aston Martin adventure went badly wrong for Sebastian Vettel. But can the four-time world champion turn things around?

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