Thursday March 25, 2021
The midfield puts pressure
Vettel pushes in the “Dark Horse” in the top group
Is the dominance of the big guys around Mercedes crumbling in this Formula 1 season? Several midfield teams seem ready to jump into the top group: including Sebastian Vettel with Aston Martin. The German sees himself as good enough to be able to drive “for the championship”.
Sebastian Vettel adjusted the green mask, a broad grin could be guessed behind it. He had just been asked about his goals at Aston Martin. “Win all races!” Said Vettel, and his eyes laughed. But no, he continued, “we have to be realistic. I think it will be really close behind Mercedes and Red Bull. It is impossible to estimate the balance of power.”
Before the start of the season in Bahrain (Sunday, 5 p.m. CEST / Sky and in the live ticker on ntv.de.) Vettel is clearly enjoying his new role in the factory team of the James Bond brand. He christened the company car Honey Ryder, “like the first Bond girl,” said the 33-year-old with a grin, and with it he has probably finally shed the Ferrari red.
With the top racing team without a top car, the expectations were always greater than the possibilities. At Aston Martin, on the other hand, Vettel is now officially allowed to be a hunter – and is not alone: the midfield is in demand. And the chances are better than they have been for a long time. There are various reasons for this, one of which Vettel mentions in a few words. “Our racing team has grown,” says the 33-year-old, with the “giant teams” it is “completely different: they now have to fire people.”
“Provided the package is right”
Because what Formula 1 decided in the midst of the Corona crisis is something of a turning point. The budget is now limited to US $ 145 million per team and will be even less in the coming years. The industry leaders have to reduce this by almost half, while the small ones still have room for development. And a look at individual teams also makes it at least possible to move closer together. On the one hand there is Mercedes, the long-term winners of the past few years revealed some problems during the test drives two weeks ago in Bahrain. And Ferrari is considered an outsider anyway after the completely disappointing 2020 season.
In contrast, there is a spirit of optimism not only at Aston Martin. McLaren in particular, but also Alpine and AlphaTauri, are considered Dark Horses, candidates for surprise successes. At McLaren, for example, things have been steadily improving for three years; last year, the team around German team boss Andreas Seidl took third place in the constructors’ championship. The already strong car is now no longer powered by a Renault, but by a Mercedes engine, the best power unit in the premier class. McLaren also secured the services of Daniel Ricciardo, who is also considered one of the strongest in Formula 1.
“It is the reference value that we still need for our development,” says Seidl, because you know: “If he has the right material, he can win races.” And that’s where McLaren wants to go. Alpine, which was called Renault until recently, wants to take advantage of Fernando Alonso’s experience. The ex-world champion is returning to the works team at the age of 39 after his Formula 1 break, and he too wants to be victorious again in 2022. For this season he expects “a few surprises” in the balance of power.
Vettel is also hoping for that. And on “a steep learning curve” after very mixed tests with Aston Martin. “I’m still good enough to win races and drive the championship,” he said in the “Sport Bild”: “Provided the package is right.”
.