Sebastian Vettel is having quite a horrific campaign, driving in his final season for Scuderia Ferrari.
Behind the wheel of the poor SF1000, Vettel has struggled big time. The German has only managed to accumulate a meager 17 points from 11 races.
However, in the very same car, teammate Charles Leclerc has completely outshone the 4-time world champion. The Monegasque has already put his car on the podium twice and has notched up 63 points, almost four times more than what Vettel has managed.
ADVERTISEMENT
Article continues below this ad
The German had yet another disastrous performance during qualifying for the Portuguese Grand Prix. He will start the race in a dismal P15 after getting knocked out in Q2 for the 8th consecutive time.
Quite in contrast, Leclerc had a brilliant outing in Portimao. He managed to seal an almost unbelievable P4 start for himself.
While many could sympathize with Vettel, there is no denying that Leclerc is churning out top-class performances with great consistency.
Not even the 4-time world champion denies that fact. Instead, Vettel is quite honest in his assessment of the season so far, and of Leclerc in particular.
Following his exit from Q2, Vettel said, “He’s driving in another league. Even if I have a good lap, he’s still quicker.”
He added, “It’s not just beating, it’s like a different class. I try everything I can. I think the laps I hit, and I’m satisfied with them, are still too slow.
“At the moment, there’s nothing more I can do than to get what I have inside me.”
Sebastian Vettel shows admirable honesty,
but can he salvage some points in the race?
Trust Vettel to say it like it is. Even he knows that his performances are nowhere close to where he’d like. Sure, he doesn’t have a great package at his disposal, but the gap in performance is quite alarming.
ADVERTISEMENT
Article continues below this ad
Vettel fans would hope to see the German regain his form once he links up with Aston Martin next season. However, there’s no telling how much his morale has been damaged due to in his final year with the Prancing Horse.
Top 10 finishes have been in short supply for Vettel. The Ferrari man has only managed a grand total of one point from the last 5 races.
He will start the race, equaling his own record of starts for one team. It looks as though he won’t have any special memories from this race to look back upon.
ADVERTISEMENT
Article continues below this ad
Also Read – Sebastian Vettel Set to Equal a Major Red Bull Milestone With Ferrari at the Portuguese GP
There is nothing to suggest that Vettel will break into the top 10 unless a bunch of cars ahead of him retire. F1 is known to be unpredictable and rest assured, Sebastian will give his 100% to try to score points to help himself and the team.