Is Vettel a Racer or a Driver?

[N12ck]

I have heard this question asked a lot, he can pump out amazing qualifying laps, but is he a racer?

[RB7ate9]

I'm still new here, so I can't really state, one-way or the other, about the appropriate nature of this thread. But, I will humor.

How would you or anyone judge whether or not Sebastian Vettel is a "racer or a driver"?

Lap times? Overtakes? Wins? Poles? Hat Tricks?

Also, against what measure will those values be judged?

Senna? Hamilton? Alonso? Hill? Clark? Stewart? the Stig?

Don't get me wrong, I'm a Webber fanboy and my friends decry me for constantly pointing at Vettel saying he's nothing but a empty-track driver, but for the sake of maintaining the technical portion of F1technical, can you elaborate?

[Morteza]

He is a driver who races in Formula 1

[N12ck]

in the german gp as we seen he was stuck behind massa (vettel in the clearly better car) and couldnt manage to overtake massa, until he had the help of his pit crew,

he is extremely quick, he can pump out very fast laptimes, however does he lack in the skill to overtake?

[Sebp]

viewtopic.php?f=3&t=7520

thx a lot!

[N12ck]

this isnt a fanboy thread though, im neither for vettel or against him,,, its just discussing if he is a racer or a driver

[ringo]

Vettel is a time attack specialist.

He is technically a racer, but he's not a brawler.

Nothing wrong with that at all.

Track and field is the purest form of racing, where it's just you and the clock, you oponent doesn't matter. That is real racing.

F1 however involves messing with your oppenents. That's what Vettel doesn't do. But thats ok.

[Shrieker]

Oh come on ffs. "He can't overtake", and now this. We're talking about the youngest ever world champion, and most probably the youngest ever double world champion here. He's not as fierce a fighter like say - Alonso and Hamilton; so what ? And it's not like his wheel to wheel skills suck, they are certainly way above average. Give the guy a break. Kicking someone when he's taken a fall isn't nice at all. It stinks.

[N12ck]

no-ones saying he cant overtake, and no-one is knocking him,
we know he is probably the best qualifier, and maintaining a lead, but can he fight tooth a nail to win when hes in second or third,,, so far he hasnt shown this, also its not just a couple of people on here who are asking this quesion, if you watched bbc f1 laston sunday you will have seen they were all asking the question, all i was trying to do was get peoples opinions on it,

[beelsebob]

in the german gp as we seen he was stuck behind massa (vettel in the clearly better car) and couldnt manage to overtake massa, until he had the help of his pit crew,

he is extremely quick, he can pump out very fast laptimes, however does he lack in the skill to overtake?

One could make the same point about Hamilton in Spain, but no one would claim he can't pass, would they?

[Shrieker]

@N12ck

Ok, then I'd say he's a racer, and a damn good one.

[Steven]

Guys,

there's seriously too much influencing a driver's apparent performance at a race to judge if a driver is a driver or a racer. The current championship standings play their part, the car, the state of tyres, and so on.

Despite good intentions, I don't see how to avoid a fanmatch, so will have to lock it.