Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel took his chances to win in his team’s home race. “A little carelessness, and then I had lost the car,” he said angrily afterwards.
After Monza’s qualifying frustration Sebastian Vettel started the race desperate to challenge for a win, but also fearing that Leclerc’s pole position and both Mercedes ahead would deny any chance.
Shortly after the start, however, the German lost a position to his compatriot Nico Hülkenberg which he took back soon after. He then caught up with Valtteri Bottas’ silver arrow in front of him, but a spin in the sixth lap in the Ascari complex ended all hopes for a good result early on.
Vettel got in the way of Lance Stroll when he returned to the track, so he didn’t just have to pick up a new nose at the pits. He was also given a 10-second stop-and-go penalty due to a dangerous return to the track. After that, the race to catch up was only enough for the pointless 13th place, compounded by the humiliation of falling behind young team-mate Charles Leclerc in the drivers’ Championship who’d won in front of the Tifosi crowd.
“I got a little closer to the Valtteri, but a little carelessness was enough, and then I lost the car. It was my mistake.
“Then I tried to get onto the track. I’ve already talked to Lance to apologise because I didn’t see anything but the way I came back to the track wasn’t good of course.
“I tried for a while to get the gears right and I was on the curbs, which wasn’t helping either.
“I can’t be satisfied with today because I’m not satisfied with my performance
“Of course I’m not happy with this race, and as far as the other side is concerned, it doesn’t really matter. It was a good day for the team, but a bad day for me.
“Of course I still love what I do very much. But if you don’t do well, if you know that you could have done better, then you can’t be happy.”
Meanwhile, the Italian press praises Leclerc’s victory, the first at Monza since Alonso’s in 2010, and are surprisingly unvitriolic toward Vettel’s race, but do describe the former no. 1 Ferrari driver as in “seemingly endless crisis” when you read the words of Francesco Svelto of f1sport.it.
“Perhaps the problem of Vettel is not limited only to the episode of Monza. Vettel’s problems are psychological in nature, perhaps he feels the pressure in the team and in particular of his teammate” describes Svelto.
“A seemingly endless crisis, which began last year and is still ongoing. But this is another story that maybe we will deepen later.” surmises the Italian journalist.
Italy’s Autosprint comes to a similar conclusion but warns that “Sebastian is lost and can no longer return …” when you read the article published today by Michele Salvadore.
“Too many mistakes in two years, all with similar dynamics that, race after race, have put Vettel in a condition of always having to prove that he is a 4-time World Champion, obviously become an increasingly unsustainable pressure.”
One does have to wonder just how long Vettel is prepared to put up with this situation at Ferrari. Indeed tongues wagged when again the German Ferrari driver was spotted talking to the senior Red Bull management in the Monza paddock.
Perhaps it could be Red Bull 2020 or bust?
Norris swears angrily at race engineer at Monza 2019 (uncensored)
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Who is Svelto? A psychiatrist? A psychologist? A journalist? Likewise Salvatore.
What about the alleged three times he swore at Leclerc (as reported in the Belgian press)? Is that true and why has it not been included in this article?
My opinion is that Vettel is done with Ferrari. Vettel knows the car, while it may competitive on a few tracks, isn’t capable of winning the WC. He sees a teammate put into the team by Ferrari’s chairman, managed by the son of the president of the FIA, and alleged by many to turn up the engine power in several races to keep Vettel behind when Vettel was clearly quicker. Then that teammate reneges on the team’s instructions regarding the tow in quali. I wouldn’t be at all surprised to find out the car development is now being done for his teammate’s benefit. The Italian press never warmed to Vettel, always highlighting his negatives and downplaying his positives. I don’t think he cares any more.
Jeez, that’s one hell of a conspiracy theory but I would have justified it stronger by referring to what Charles did at the post race interview – immediately asking Brundle if he could address the crowd in Italian and the proceeding to give the locals a taste of his fluent language skills – a Monegasque is almost an Italian, he’s young, good looking and very, very mature. What a (marketing) prospect for Ferrari if they start to build the team around him – even better than Schumi ever was.
Unfortunately for Vettel, this only reinforces the feeling that he was lucky to find himself in a very competitive Red Bull which wiped the floor with the competition until a rules change. After that, Vettel has struggled on the track but has profited massively from his short time in the Red Bull sunshine.
Leclerc was Marchionne’s boy. He is managed by Nicholas Todt. Jock Clear has confirmed he has used higher race modes when Vettel was behind. Leclerc did renege on the tow protocol at Monza. So where does the conspiracy theory start? I’m not a Vettel fan but standing outside – even I can see what is going on.
How do you say Multi 21 in Italian? Or German?
Mark Webber could have ironically tweeted: “How does it feel to have the shoe on the other foot now, Seb?”
Hahaha Webber must be jumping for joy since mid 2018,rip settle,kick the son of a gun outta f1.room for better drivers ,Alonso coughing …lol