Ecclestone Claims He “Put a Lot of Pressure” on Stroll to Sign Sebastian Vettel

It seems like yesterday that Sebastian Vettel was hurtling towards 2021 without a contract under his arm. It had been nearly 4  months, and it seemed like no one was interested in the German, and seats were filling up rather quickly.

However, in early September, Vettel signed up with Aston Martin, replacing Sergio Perez. Now he is all set to partner Lance Stroll at the Silverstone-based outfit for next season.

For a team like Aston Martin, who are looking to become title runners in the future, the allure of signing a 4-time World Champion was too hard to resist. However, it was not just Vettel’s success that led the British team to pursue him.

According to Bernie Ecclestone, the former Chief Executive of the Formula 1 group, he provided Vettel with a helping hand in order to seal the Aston Martin drive.

The ‘F1 Supremo’ said (translated by Google), “I also helped him get the deal with Aston Martin right. I put a lot of pressure on team owner Lawrence Stroll to take Sebastian.

“I told him how good Sebastian is still and that in the end it will be a win for everyone if the deal goes through. I think my arguments helped convince him.”

Bernie Ecclestone believes Sebastian Vettel will prove his doubters wrong next year

The 4-time World Champion is having a torrid final season with Ferrari. Vettel has been struggling with his lackluster car throughout the season and has only notched up 18 points over the course of 12 races.

However, the ‘F1 Supremo’ is confident that a change of scenery will benefit Vettel and that the German can return with a bang in 2021.

He said, “Ferrari has always been a somewhat unclear team. Domestic politics have always played a big role. It was only at the time of Michael Schumacher that everyone was pulling in the same direction. 

“Fortunately, Sebastian Vettel has a new challenge with Aston Martin next year. He will give the answers to his doubters who no longer believe in his abilities this year.”

But before Vettel embarks on his new adventure with the Silverstone-based team, he still has unfinished business left with the Scuderia.

With 5 races to go, Vettel will be looking to end the season on a high, boosting his morale and confidence before he links up with Aston Martin.