Aston Martin driver Sebastian Vettel tasted a fair deal of success at Red Bull, but struggled to replicate this during his tenure at Ferrari.
Mercedes’ dominance in the last few years has played a significant role in that.
While Vettel tried hard to compete against Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton, he could never quite penetrate the dominance shown by the British driver.
Former world champion Damon Hill feels Vettel lacks motivation after struggling to taste success for so many years.
“I think Vettel was destabilised at Ferrari. I think that there were political aspects that undermined his confidence and that ultimately affected his driving,” Hill said.
“He missed opportunities, it is true, but there were also great performances. I think Sebastian can still give a lot, and if he has an opportunity to be competitive and to fight for victory or for a podium, he will do his best.
“I hope he has had an opportunity to regain his self-confidence. Sometimes, I look at him, and I think he doesn’t seem motivated and confident, and that’s a little bit of a worry.”
Four-time world champion Vettel is rumoured to be interested in a seat at Mercedes if it becomes available at the end of the season. However, for now, he has reiterated that he is fully focused on helping Aston Martin prosper.
Aston Martin on its part has also assured Vettel that the blame will be on them if he fails to succeed this year. They have tried to offer him a comfortable and stress-free environment since he made the switch.
Vettel had one of his worst seasons as a Formula 1 driver last year and was nowhere near challenging for the title.
Do you believe that Aston Martin is the right fit for him? Has he given up on his aspirations of lifting another world championship? Let us know in the comments below.
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