Legends making a comeback is nothing new. In their own ways, Sebastian Vettel and Fernando Alonso are doing the same thing. Vettel joined Aston Martin after a torrid last season at Ferrari, while Alonso returned from a two-year hiatus and now drives for Alpine.
Given their abilities, the two drivers must have expected way more from the new season. But three races into the season, Vettel is yet to score a single point, while Alonso hasn’t fared much better with five to his name.
Maximilian Götz, who rivaled Vettel for ten years before the German came to F1, offered his take on the difficulties faced by him. He compared Vettel with Alonso, and explained why he is having a difficult time at Aston Martin.
“Sebastian was always careful that the team build a car for him. But at the end of the day, the driver always has to adjust to the car a bit. He now joined the team. Everything is new. The teammate did a great job last year. You have to hit it first,” he said
He went on to compare one legend with another, saying, “Sebastian has always been a little more sorry than Alonso. He sits in and is quick in any car. It’s always a question of character and a driving style that you as a racing driver have in you. Sebastian has to adapt first and that’s not that easy.”
Last chance
A messy divorce with Ferrari did little to ease Vettel’s career, and a redemption arc at Aston Martin has not worked out so far. The team is struggling with the new regulations, and Vettel would surely have expected better.
Götz believes that this could be the last chance Vettel gets in F1. He said, “He knows what he wants. This is also his last chance, he knows that too. Maybe that’s the reason why he can’t drive so freely and the pressure builds up.”
Hopefully, the multiple-time world champion can rediscover his mojo again, and Aston Martin helps him do what he does best – winning.
Read more: Report: Mercedes set up Hamilton’s car differently to give him a huge advantage over Bottas