Are we seeing a Vettel era?

[Lurk]

The 1989 FW12c was a top car? That is news to me ...

Plus 1985 Williams was a top car only at the end.
In 1990, 6 or 7 DNF because of the lack of reliability of his Ferrari. Each time he finished a race he was in top 4.
In 1991, 6 DNF. 5 because of the new sequential gearbox, 1 of his own fault. 1 DSQ because of a catastrophic pit stop - so not his fault. Either with that he managed to came back from 17th to 6th in only 20laps, with 20 more to go. he could finished on the podium.
Each time he finished this year, he was 1 or 2.


So definitively, Mansell > Webber.

[Kaneda]

Are we seeing a Vettel era?

I don't know if Vettel will keep on dominating next season. It depends on how much McLaren and Ferrari improve their cars during the winter season.

But what I'm certain is Vettel is now on his prime days as a driver. And he will likely continue it for a long time. I mean, he has really become a matured, determined driver since the last season. His racecraft has been improved, so has his overtaking skills.

[beelsebob]

Are we seeing a Vettel era?

I don't know if Vettel will keep on dominating next season. It depends on how much McLaren and Ferrari improve their cars during the winter season.

But what I'm certain is Vettel is now on his prime days as a driver. And he will likely continue it for a long time. I mean, he has really become a matured, determined driver since the last season. His racecraft has been improved, so has his overtaking skills.

I'm reserving judgement until we see him in some races. His show in Italy was wonderful, but as we saw in Abu Dhabi, driving 3-5 seconds into the lead and then maintaining the gap is something that all the top drivers will happily do when given the car to do it.

I look forward to a tighter season so that we can see better who's where.

[Sebp]

The 1989 FW12c was a top car? That is news to me ...

The Ferrari 640 you mean?

[Raptor22]

The 1989 FW12c was a top car? That is news to me ...

1989 = Mansell in a Ferrari 640...

[astracrazy]

I hope Red Bull don't have the fastest car next year. It will be good to see just how good he is

[CHT]

Vettel is simply perfect for RBR.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-U92ttWICgM[/youtube]

[raymondu999]

Fantastic bloke. Not sure why RBR in specific though... there's not much that is RBR-specific in the video... lol

[mnmracer]

How people can hate him, beats me.

Though, I don't know what's going on between him and Michael, but I have very disturbing images in my head now xD

[beelsebob]

It's odd, I find his jokes funnier... exactly because he's german. A german with a sense of humor... how did it happen?

[CHT]

Fantastic bloke. Not sure why RBR in specific though... there's not much that is RBR-specific in the video... lol

Red Bull does have an image of a company that is fun, exciting, approachable and relax.
And Vettel outfit, character and his humour somehow fit the team image perfectly.

[raymondu999]

True... You always think of Ferrari as the "passionate" ones; while McLaren the more "clinical" ones. Ironically McLaren would be the most German.

[sbradley]

Vettel isn't untouchable but the sort of marriage between him and the car seems to be. It comes with the car and the skill. So if if the best RB car is a dud, then the supposed "Vettel era" comes to a sudden halt as well. We have to wait and see how things are going to pan out in the future. Sure, he has broken a lot of possible records the past couple of seasons but that does not cement one to become a legend all to sudden.

[MIKEY_!]

For sure. Had a schumacher been given a dud car for a few years in a row he wouldn't have won so much and we wouldn't be comparing vettel to him.

[CHT]

Vettel isn't untouchable but the sort of marriage between him and the car seems to be. It comes with the car and the skill. So if if the best RB car is a dud, then the supposed "Vettel era" comes to a sudden halt as well. We have to wait and see how things are going to pan out in the future. Sure, he has broken a lot of possible records the past couple of seasons but that does not cement one to become a legend all to sudden.

No F1 drivers will be able to win the world championship without a fast and reliable car. When Vettel was a test driver for BMW he has proven his speed with the fastest lap. With STR, he has managed a win in horrendous weather condition. With RB6, he has demonstrated at he is able to withstand the enormous pressure at the final race and win the WDC from behind. In RB7, he managed to extract the maximum from the car without putting a foot wrong in qualifying, and securing a huge margin over his teammate and competitors.

If this is not a good enough ingredient to be a F1 legend, then what is?