Italian Press: 'No room for Vettel' in Ferrari future
Huge pressure is mounting on Sebastian Vettel.
Following Charles Leclerc's impressive performance in Bahrain, Ferrari 'number 1' Vettel denied that being overtaken by his teammate and then spinning was due to pressure.
"To be honest, I think it's not about pressure," said the German.
"Obviously my race could have been better, so I need to analyse a lot."
Vettel admitted that while Ferrari improved dramatically after Australia, he is not feeling as good at the wheel of the 2019 car as Leclerc.
"I will be happy to get back behind the wheel at the test this Wednesday," he said. "I think we have work to do."
It is an apparently calm reaction by Vettel amid a growing storm of unrest in Italy.
The Italian press crowned Leclerc Ferrari's new "golden boy", and railed against the more experienced and highly-paid Vettel's continuing mistakes.
La Repubblica said Vettel lost "his front wing and his nerve" in Bahrain, and added: "Leclerc is the true rival of Lewis Hamilton."
Corriere della Sera said the quadruple world champion was "humiliated" by Leclerc last weekend.
And La Gazzetta dello Sport said Ferrari returns to Maranello from Bahrain "with one certainty and two problems".
"The certainty is Charles Leclerc, and the two problems are reliability and Sebastian Vettel," the influential sports daily declared.
La Stampa was even more blunt, advising Vettel to "get a mental coach and shave the moustache".
Corriere dello Sport said: "Ferrari looks to a future in which there is no room for Vettel.
"Mick Schumacher could soon be at the side of the talented Charles Leclerc."
Nico Rosberg, the 2016 world champion, disagrees with Vettel that the pressure does not get to him.
"Sebastian has a hell of a fight on his hands with Charles. Already last season we saw him crack under pressure, and that seems to still be the case," he said.
Vettel does, however, have some support. Ferrari team boss Mattia Binotto said: "As Seb said himself, it was a mistake and I don't think we need to discuss every mistake.
"We encourage our drivers to push the limits and that's what he was trying to do."
Vettel was also supported by his title nemesis Lewis Hamilton.
"If you look at Sebastian's career, I think he did many more great performances than races in which he spun. In the statistics, it's almost nothing," he said.
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"....Italian Press: 'No room for Vettel' in Ferrari future..."
This is hardly any news. Vettel understands that and has said as much, when he intimated that the sport is becoming to much of a show and that he is not sure he wants to be in F! beyond 2020. As his contract expires he will retire comfortably with at least 4 titles. The last thing he needs is be Alonso II who doesn't know how to leave.
Vettel has lost it- 4 time world champion and not winning the World Champion silver ware since he joined Ferrari. Also, not having the skill to stop his infant team mate beating him on the grid.
Leclerac drives like an old man in boys shoes and Vettel is a ' has- been' !
Vetel needs to either dust his F1 driving manual, read the overtaking while staying on the track chapter or take his helmet off, put his coat on the rack and let another person do the job in his place!
Personally I think Lewis will be on the Ferrari payroll in 2020 and Vetel will be writing his biography!
You posted this at the bottom of the thread. Why are you posting it as a response to my post? What you wrote has nothing to do with my post.
Why are you questioning my posting? Do you own and run this site?
I meant to say that you are talking rubbish as usual in the reply to you- but I obviously posted the wrong reply to your comment.
Yes, I own this site and the universe. I am amazing. I can cook a seven course meal by using only toaster oven. I defy gravity.
You, in return, are merely rude.
Leclerc had a really good weekend in Bahrain but in Melbourne not so much so. On the whole Vettel was better in Melbourne and the car looked a completely different beast to Barcelona and Bahrain. Vettel is still a quality driver though, even if not ultimately a match for a Hamilton in wheel to wheel situations. It's the level of pressure that comes with his position that would break most drivers that is hurting him. I'd like Ferrari to resolve their car issues and then we can see how he performs over the season and whilst I agree that Leclerc looks very talented I wouldn't rule Seb out just yet. The advice on the moustache is fair comment though as it makes him look like Super Mario.
Is vettle getting kick out of Ferrari
I do agree with comments of Simon Saivil as well as BlackDog.I have been Seb's fan for some years and I still think that he doesn't deserve to be humiliated by the Italian or any other press and nobody should be so hasty to write him off as failure because he has achieved more than most other F1 drivers including Alonso but Vettel obviously is aware of his own mistakes and he wants to eradicate those but there are other issues with his car and I suspect that he is not satisfied with it and it showed in Melbourne and Bahrain where others were overtaking him.Perhaps Leclercs engineers have done better job on his car so no wonder he is ahead of Vettel in qualifying as well as in races so far. I ask myself if there is conspiracy to oust Seb under the guise of not driving fast enough and making errors when pushed to the limit when pursued by a faster driver. Anyway Vettel will leave F1 when he knows that he has given it all and nobody can deny his enthusiasm and dedication to the sport and certainly his past 4 titles speak for themselves and nobody can take those away and Seb can retire without regrets. Besides I hope Vettel will find something worthwhile to do later and expand his vision beyond F1, and after all there are people who are far important in one's life than driving F1 and pushing themselves to the limits to achieve adoration and glory in this arena. So my message to Seb is: You are a great driver and do not let anyone convince you otherwise and keep pushing The Ferrari buttons till they drop off the steering wheel !
Ironically the Italian press IS the problem. Enough of the knee jerk reactions. At least it seems that Ferrari is doing the right thing and keeping a cool head and supporting their drivers. Naturally you dont want to see any mistakes but it is a long season and hopefully things even out for them.
Vettel has lost it- 4 time world champion and not winning the World Champion silver ware since he joined Ferrari. Also, not having the skill to stop his infant team mate beating him on the grid.
Leclerac drives like an old man in boys shoes and Vettel is a ' has- been' !
Vetel needs to either dust his F1 driving manual, read the overtaking while staying on the track chapter or take his helmet off, put his coat on the rack and let another person do the job in his place!
Personally I think Lewis will be on the Ferrari payroll in 2020 and Vetel will be writing his biography!
I think the Italian media need to get off Vettel's back and focus instead on the unreliability of the Ferrari.
Unreliability of Ferrari! really! - more like unreliability of Vetttel!!
Er - so what was the reason for Leclerc's loss in Bahrain?
One car malfunction does equate to unreliability J Rob. Yep true - Leclerc was robbed in Bahrain BUT this car issue rarely happens in the red car.
Unlike the Renault engine in Red Bull last season( whwn poor Ricarido nearly gave up) and the Renault cars breaking down in Bahrain 2019.
Now that is what I see as unreliability!
Mama Mia!! The Italians have passion and speak their minds...doesn't mean that they're right.
Vettel is doing just fine. It's the Phillip Morris cigarette money hidden under the Minnow Winnow sponsorship that Ferrari uses to pay for the drivers. It's illegal money anyway so who cares? So Ferrari is the one being bad, not Vettel.