‘Will Be Even More Difficult’ for Vettel at Imola With Aston Martin: Schumacher

It was not the start that Aston Martin would have wanted amid their re-entry to Formula 1 after over six decades, having scored just 1 point at Bahrain GP. What’s more painful is that the new-entrant, Sebastian Vettel, took most of the blow, as his poor run of form is turning out to be a never-ending saga.

The German struggled his way throughout the weekend, barring his brilliant start to the race. Vettel fell victim to a couple of penalties, one of which was due to his collision with Esteban Ocon.

Hence, Vettel will be looking to return stronger for the second race weekend in Imola, but how far is it going to work out for the four-time world champion?

Well, former F1 driver, Ralf Schumacher, opened up that Vettel will have much bigger pressure hovering over his head.

What did Schumacher say?

Speaking to Sky Sports F1, Schumacher felt that Vettel will need to bring his A-game to at least score some points for the team.

“I hope that he will find a solution for himself. Because if something comes on top of such a disastrous weekend, that doesn’t really help him, not even when it comes to acceptance in the team,” he said. (Translated from German using Google Translate)

“Accordingly, it will now be even more difficult for him in Imola. He has to be in front. He should also be faster than his teammate. But he mustn’t make any mistakes either. It won’t be that easy for Sebastian.”

Imola is the kind of track that lacks in overtaking apart from the long yet narrow main straight. Hence, pit-stop strategies will play a substantial role for the teams throughout the race.

The same goes for Vettel’s Aston Martin as well. If the German manages to produce a similar getaway to the one during the Bahrain GP, he could guide the team to securing a handful of points with the help of his team’s smart strategical decisions.

Sebastian Vettel’s Aston Martin was anything but good in Bahrain: Schumacher

Although Vettel’s race was quite painful to watch, one must also consider the fact that the Aston Martin car looks completely disoriented.

Lance Stroll drove a brilliant race, keeping his nose clean, and maintaining his pace with the McLarens ahead. However, beyond the halfway point, it was all about struggles for the Canadian, as he limped his way to the checkered flag in P10.

Thus, Schumacher is also aware of the worrisome Aston Martin pace and is hoping that the team clears it out as early as possible.

Schumacher felt “for Aston Martin because Sebastian Vettel’s Aston Martin – apart from his mistakes – was anything but good on the first race weekend.”

Overall, the second race weekend is just days away. And Vettel will need a miracle to fight his way through the highly competitive grid to score his first points for Aston Martin. So, will the German do the impossible?

Also Read: Did Sebastian Vettel Make the Right Call in Not Taking Time off From F1?