via Getty
ZANDVOORT, NETHERLANDS – SEPTEMBER 05: Lewis Hamilton of Great Britain and Mercedes GP, Valtteri Bottas of Finland and Mercedes GP and Sebastian Vettel of Germany and Aston Martin F1 Team wave to the crowd on the drivers parade ahead of the F1 Grand Prix of The Netherlands at Circuit Zandvoort on September 05, 2021 in Zandvoort, Netherlands. (Photo by Bryn Lennon/Getty Images)
via Getty
ZANDVOORT, NETHERLANDS – SEPTEMBER 05: Lewis Hamilton of Great Britain and Mercedes GP, Valtteri Bottas of Finland and Mercedes GP and Sebastian Vettel of Germany and Aston Martin F1 Team wave to the crowd on the drivers parade ahead of the F1 Grand Prix of The Netherlands at Circuit Zandvoort on September 05, 2021 in Zandvoort, Netherlands. (Photo by Bryn Lennon/Getty Images)
Race of Champions has acted as a curtain-raiser for the start of motorsports season for many years. And the upcoming ROC will feature some mouth-watering clashes, with one duel in particular that stands out, that of Aston Martin’s Sebastian Vettel and Alfa Romeo’s Valtteri Bottas.
The German and the Finn were drawn against each other in 1/8 FINAL B.
Well good day, @AstonMartinF1 & @alfaromeoorlen. 👋
Thoughts? #ROCSweden pic.twitter.com/8GQolRQOzn
— #ROCSweden (@RaceOfChampions) February 1, 2022
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This is undoubtedly a race that will interest Formula 1 fans a lot, especially those of the two drivers. Simply because both Vettel and Bottas head into the 2022 Formula 1 season with a point to prove – they’re still just as good as they were a few years ago.
Both drivers share a history of unfulfilled potential in their former teams, Ferrari and Mercedes, respectively. And while Bottas will start afresh in the Italian team, Vettel is already one-season old in his ‘new’ team.
via Imago
SUZUKA, JAPAN – OCTOBER 13: Race winner Valtteri Bottas, Mercedes AMG F1 and Sebastian Vettel, Ferrari celebrate on the podium with thee champagne during the Japanese GP at Suzuka on October 13, 2019 in Suzuka, Japan. (Photo by Andy Hone / LAT Images)
Sebastian Vettel admits not living up to expectations at Aston Martin in 2021
In a recent interview, the seven-time ROC winner admitted his first campaign at the newly branded Aston Martin team was less than ideal. “Yes and no,” was the answer Vettel gave when questioned about the expectations surrounding his move to Aston Martin.
“I think the team’s great; I really enjoy working with the team, and I think it’s been a big change obviously,” Vettel said. “But no in terms of the results, obviously. The whole team and myself, we were hoping for more.”
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The four-time F1 world champion explained how the regulation changes from 2020 heading into 2021 hurt his team, formerly known as Racing Point. “The team had a great car [in 2020] but not [in 2021], so we did what we could,” he said.
via Reuters
Formula One F1- Saudi Arabian Grand Prix – Jeddah Corniche Circuit, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia – December 4, 2021 Aston Martin’s Sebastian Vettel during qualifying Pool via REUTERS/Giuseppe Cacace
The coming season could very well be Sebastian Vettel’s last chance to have a second chance in Formula 1. But there’s no doubt that no matter how he fares in 2022 or beyond that, the four-time world champion will always be counted amongst one of the modern greats.
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Still, we all hope to hear Seb play some good ol’ jazz in his Aston Martin soon.
