(from autosport Red Bull owner Dietrich Mateschitz is convinced that Scuderia Toro Rosso's Sebastian Vettel will be a 'big star' of the future ahead of his first full campaign in Formula One this year. Vettel joined Toro Rosso halfway through 2007, and scored a career best fourth place in the Chinese Grand Prix - just one week after throwing away a possible podium finish when he crashed behind the safety car in Japan. And having got Vettel released from his commitments with BMW Sauber, where he had been test and reserve driver, so he could join Toro Rosso, Mateschitz thinks the young German has a bright future. "Vettel is one of the young guys with extraordinary potential," said Mateschitz. "He is fast, he is intelligent, and he is very interested in the technical side. "He has everything it takes to become a big star. And he is "back home" now with us. His future looks brilliant." Mateschitz added that he expects Vettel's teammate Sebastien Bourdais to deliver exactly what the team expect of him this year, as Toro Rosso bid to build on a strong end to 2007. "Bourdais will come up with the expectations we have set him," explained Mateschitz. "STR can be a solid midfield runner in 2008." (We hear the same comments about so many drivers, hard to believe every one. Question, would someone like Vettel be just as good, maybe better, than a Hamilton, if they had a #1 ride in the McLaren? I reserve my final opinion about Hamilton until the end of 2008, maybe even 2009)
I hope in 2 years time he's with Ferrari, you know, in consideration for them being STR's engine supplier...
He certainly showed that Scott Speed was correct last year....that the car sucked bad. I'm not sure what was going on behind the scenes at that team last year, but it's hard to know if it was caused by Scott's combative attitude (if he even had one...I don't know) or if the team was just imploding around him. We'll see this year with the two-Sebastians.
I think with him behind the wheel of an great car with a great team, like Ferrari or McLaren, he could be an amazing driver. With a fourth place finish in an STR car, think what he could do with an amazing car.
Vettel is hugely talented, but I'm not sure he'll be the next big star. That role pertains to Hamilton for the next few years anyway. Vettel is incredibly fast, but he does stupid things like crash out in Indy at the first turn or in Japan bumping into his team mate. Compared to Hamilton he has a lot to learn still. Time will tell whether he'll get there or not. He is a huge improvement over Scott Gotno_Speed but that ain't sayin' much.
I think Vettel will have a bright future. He is very fast, he only has to learn from his rookie mistakes .. but keep in mind he's 2 years younger even than Hamilton, he has enough time to learn and improve
What's the name of that other young German that might be the next Schumacher? I keep forgetting it. It wasn't Ammermueller, but...
Come one Andreas, Hamilton did just as many stupid things this year as Vettel, may be more. Like losing the WDC when it was already his by just being smart. He didn't exactly wreck his teammate on the track, but he did a heck of a job doing that off the track.
Hamilton made not a single mistake that cost him the title. His team kept him too long out there in China and his team (as the only team) put him on a 3 stop strategy in Brazil. Those two strategic moves by his team cost him the title. All his other mistakes wouldn't have mattered for the title chase. E.g. putting his car in neutral in Interlagos didn't throw him back far enough to loose the title. But a 3rd pitstop did. Vettel is fast but makes mistakes and I'm more of a believer that great drivers are born as such and not developed (which is also why you and I have a different take on Massa). Senna, Prost, Schumacher, they all didn't learn much driving wise in F1. They honed their strategic skills and their plot making but really not their driving. That's not to say that Vettel couldn't improve, but I'm not yet convinced. With Hami I am. 100%.
+100 Leading with 12 points and 20 available in the two remaining races in China and Brazil. In other words the team lost him the WDC title in China.
In which series is he driving? There's a couple of young guys the press likes to call the next Schumacher
Nico Hulkenberg http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nicolas_H%C3%BClkenberg He tested for Williams and was faster than Nakajimi and only 4 tenths off Rosberg. WOW
Oh yes, that might be the guy Andreas is talking about... but I know someone who dealt with Hülkenberg and said he's an idiot
Given your take on the greats then Vettel fits right in. They all had the speed and just needed to develop the strategic side of their driving while in F1. Vettel already has the speed, so by your argument if Vettel develops that side of his driving he will be brilliant, which I think he will. Prost, Senna and Schumacher all made mistakes early in their career. Vettel has only had half a season yet has been very impressive. He impressed me most at Race of Champions though, he was fabulous. Smooth, adaptable and very very very fast.
He did decent before he put the car off the track. Wouldn't it be funny if Hulks gets a ride for Williams and they have 2 Nicos, and STR has two Sebastians http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/64782
I just noticed that RBR has a Sebestien also, Sebastien Buemi is their test driver. So out of the 5 drivers Red Bull has in F1, 3 are named Sebastien.
