Sebastian Vettel interview for Italian daily newspaper Corriere:
How is it going with Charles? Did you speak to clarify the situation after the qualifying session in Monza?
Sebastian Vettel: “I don’t reveal in public what we said, let’s move on. But we talked about it.”
Let’s talk about you then. Do you know what is being said? “He will leave Ferrari at the end of the season, he will stop racing”. Is that true?
Sebastian Vettel: “I really don’t know where these rumors came from. I think they came from a joke I made regarding the 2021 rules. In March, in Bahrain, I said: “If they were to change in a senseless way, I could give up.” It was just a joke, they turned it into a novel.”
So next year you will stay with Ferrari?
“It’s very clear, I have a contract for 2020. We shouldn’t even talk about this. I see no reason to leave. I love racing and I have not yet reached my goal: to win with Ferrari. Afterwards I don’t know what will happen.”
You won 13 GPs.
“But not the title and I want it.”
Could you have won more?
“Charles beat me in the last two races, so I could have won them. And then in Canada. However at most they would have been 15-16, not 40. We were good at capitalizing on the opportunities”.
So you think you haven’t had the chance to fight for the championship so far?
“In 2017 and 2018 I finished in second place, but far. It’s too much to say that it was possible to fight to the end. We fell behind especially in the second half of the season.”
Of the five Ferrari car you drove which was the most competitive?
“The SF70H of 2017”.
Why?
“It was the best car on the grid in many ways. But it had a power deficit compared to Mercedes. He went very strong everywhere, especially on the tracks were more downforce is needed. With a few more horses we could have made a difference. If that car had the current engine there would have been no history. But unfortunately we cannot transfer modern technology to the past, otherwise with today’s cars you could win the 1990 championship with one hand.”
Indeed, we cannot think in that way. But we understand that 2017 was your best season at Ferrari.
“We came after a difficult year. The rules changed and we were very good at interpreting them, to the point that our car was copied a bitby everyone.”
Do you think you will have other chances to fight for the title?
“If I’m here it’s because I believe in it.”
Are the difficulties with the tires linked to your driving style?
“I would not say. The tires are too sensitive and have restricted use windows. When you get close to overtaking you lose grip and you can’t attack anymore. In these races the management of the tires has become more important than the pure speed, so we lose the DNA of F1.”
When did you realize you didn’t have a top car this year?
“After 3-4 races, we reacted but there is still a lot of work to close the gap.”
Helmut Marko says that to win at Ferrari you also need to be a good “politician”. Are you preparing your election campaign?
“No campaigns, I will never become a “politician”. I say what I think, like it or not. The important thing is to remain honest”.
How many drivers could have won in Mercedes?
“I don’t like these comparisons. Surely Mercedes has had the best car and there are so many good drivers. But Lewis most of all deserved to be in that car. He won deservedly, only Rosberg beat him once. Hakkinen took so long to win with McLaren, Michael (Schumacher) the same before winning the first title with Ferrari. You make you rown fortune.”
Tips for Mick Schumacher?
“He doesn’t need it. He learn quickly, he is an attentive observer.”
What are you talking about with Mattia Binotto?
“Mostly about racing. Sometimes even family and personal things.”
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