Are we seeing a Vettel era?

[bhall]

I think most people will give up the ghost if he wins another Championship in a season that's as competitive as was the case in 2010.

[mnmracer]

How about a total of 5 (vice-)world championships, and I'll throw in another two Alternative history-articles

[JohnsonsEvilTwin]

I don't think Newey would go to Merc to be honest. I mean, you're talking of shaking up a team's technical structure, that has recently been shaken up anyways? I don't think so... Though I could be wrong.

The draw of Mercedes and returning it to winning ways is prestige in its own right.
Red Bull coming into F1 and winning is all very well, but it bears no semblance of the legacy Mercedes had/have and resurrecting it.
Newey is already immortalised in F1, but that would be the cherry on the cake.

And this is Newey we are talking about. Any team on the grid would fit him into their technical structure.

I really do see history repeating itself with Vettel though. Ferrari are 2nd to Mercedes because Alonso resides as the No.1 and the apple cart would be well and truly upset if Vettel moves to Ferrari. It is possible hence why they are a close 2nd to Merc in landing Seb, but I think it unlikely Ferrari will risk Alonso leaving.
Mercedes would bend over backwards in accommodating Vettel, and as a potential 4 time champion by 2014 I reckon he would want a new challenge come the turbo era.

The caveat to all this is that Mercedes show steady signs of progress between now and then.

[raymondu999]

And this is Newey we are talking about. Any team on the grid would fit him into their technical structure.

Yes; but he wants his own structure. He's said before he didn't like fitting into Williams, and ditto McLaren. He's also said that the fact that Red Bull gave him an opportunity to create his own structure and methodology in 2006 was the big thing he was after.

[JohnsonsEvilTwin]

Yes; but he wants his own structure. He's said before he didn't like fitting into Williams, and ditto McLaren. He's also said that the fact that Red Bull gave him an opportunity to create his own structure and methodology in 2006 was the big thing he was after.

So seeing this, dont you think other teams would be willing to sacrifice what they have ie.second best to Newey, in order to get their man?
Ferrari did it, even without Newey just last year.

[raymondu999]

My point is if another team would like him; they woudl probably have to entice him with the possibility of tearing down their current tech structure and redoing it to Newey's liking. And you're proposing that Merc does this (with Newey); only a few years after a restructuring in itself? (the Bob Bell 2011/2012 restructuring)

[JohnsonsEvilTwin]

My point is if another team would like him; they woudl probably have to entice him with the possibility of tearing down their current tech structure and redoing it to Newey's liking. And you're proposing that Merc does this (with Newey); only a few years after a restructuring in itself? (the Bob Bell 2011/2012 restructuring)

In all likelihood, if they havent won by 2014...yes.

[raymondu999]

Lol... that's the part I'm struggling to see them doing - if you can accept that, then... well.. we'll see.

[Hail22]

On the Vettel Era, he strikes me as a Alain Prost he has the pulse of the politics however he seems like a 3 Championship sort of guy.

I don't sense a Fangio in him otherwise the pulse of the wider fan base would like him for his talent rather than his cocky/self loving attitude.

The fans choice would be Button (not a fan of his), Barrichello...he is gone unfortunately :/

[raymondu999]

rather than his cocky attitude.

Vettel's been called many things before - but I've never seen/heard him being cocky; nor heard/seen him being called as such

[Hail22]

rather than his cocky attitude.

Vettel's been called many things before - but I've never seen/heard him being cocky; nor heard/seen him being called as such

Finger jousting ring a bell?

Martin Brundle even commented on it last year as a sign of his "dominance" ergo "Cocky".

[raymondu999]

Finger jousting ring a bell?

All too well.

Vettel definitely needs to improve in this area - he needs to be more humble; like his fellow GP winners:

[Hail22]

He may be a great kid, but going into the camera and finger punching at it sends the wrong message.

I like Sennas quote after asked who was your most favoured opponent "Fullerton. Terry Fullerton. He was very experienced and I enjoyed very much driving with him because he was fast, he was consistent. He was, for me, a very complete driver. I have that as a very good memory"

Reminds me of Alonso when he said this "complete driver" who knows..

Also that was such a crock what Vettel said after Brazil "I felt like Ayrton did struggling to get my car to finish but i did it like him...only i got 2nd!"

What the heck is that suppose to mean? Similar to the BS from Hamilton, Senna couldn't get out of the car let alone go jumping about on a podium due to the heavy swelling/inflamation of his neck/shoulder muscles.

[fussell]

I think we are seeing the Vettel era, in my opinion he will dominant for seasons to come. Prost - Senna - Schumacher - Alonso - Vettel - ???

[JohnsonsEvilTwin]

Re Vettel,

He is the consummate modern day driver. He's fast, talented, knows how to hold peoples attention(pretty much as good as any driver I can remember, witness his Autosport accolade speech), doesn't mouth off as others have done in the not so distant past, and is a sponsor's dream.

The only 2 questions for me about Vettel is how will he perform in a machine not quite up to the best, as in will he be able to do what Alonso did in 2010? And the other is how he would perform next to a top line driver such as an Alonso or Hamilton etc.(respectfully to Webber fans, he is not the calibre I'm talking about.)