Jo_ wrote:
garagetinkerer wrote:
I was wondering if there's an official thread. i honestly love it when he wins and forumers all frown and go crazy... reminds me of good old Schumacher days
Yeah, me too.
I take a secret pleasure in the whole situation, as well.
In a thread at the start of the 2007 season, when Vettel was still a tester for the BMW, I had said as an outlandish prediction that I believed Vettel would win a WDC with Red Bull in 2009 or 2010. This was based on the fact that Theissen, who I felt was a very shrewd operator, had backed him to test for them at such a young age and with such little experience and that given he was effectively on loan from Red Bull to BMW as part of their young driver development program he would either get a race seat at BMW before going to Red Bull or be placed in the Toro Rosso for a couple of years instead. It was also based on the fact that I felt Red Bull's investment in Newey and other members of the team would pay off by that point. My goodness do I wish I had screen-shotted that.
Back in 2007 after I saw him drive in the BMW in Indy I believed that my outlandish-but-based-on-reasonable-possibilities prediction was perhaps more correct than I had thought. Not just because of the driving display but because of the intelligent and confident way he conducted his race. Most drivers given an opportunity like that tend to overdrive and make a meal or things or get utterly intimidated and trundle around. Vettel
may have been able to finish one place higher, but he seemed to recognise that the risks of trying to do that outweighed any possible benefit. His driving was good, too: comparable to his vastly more experienced teammate.
Then when he was in the Toro Rosso I was blown away by his drive to fourth place in China. Again, it wasn't just the driving. It was the fact that the week before he'd made a massive and stupid error and cost himself a potential podium and there had been pictures of him sobbing in the back of the garage. For him to shrug that off and come back and drive in China in only his first few races was mature, wise and confident beyond his years. I believed he also had the potential to become one of the greats.
I started talking on the forum about how impressive he was and how much success I thought he'd achieve and I was practically laughed off it. At the time it was all about how Hamilton was going to be the greatest thing ever and break every record known to Formula 1. Then a poster pulled up my prediction from the beginning of the year, called me utterly delusional and said that if I really believed what I was saying I should put my money where my mouth is. So I did. And after Abu Dhabi 2010 I was most certainly the one who had the last laugh, all the way to the bank.
Vettel has proven to be everything that I thought he was as a racing driver, from a driving perspective and a bigger picture one. All the skills he has displayed I believed he had and I have taken so much joy as he has dispelled criticism and pronounced weakness after criticism and pronounced weakness. And I thoroughly enjoy sitting back and rubbing my hands together as he proves me right time and time again. By the end of 2011 I had complete faith in him and the greatest joy I get supporting him is sitting back and knowing that whatever challenge or obstacle is thrown his way he will do everything to overcome it and whatever opportunity is presented won't go to waste. I felt that way with Schumacher and I never believed I'd get it again. It's very special to have complete confidence in the driver you support; I think so anyway.
I love seeing people perform at the top of their game, whatever the discipline. I feel privileged to have watched Schumacher and I feel privileged to be watching Vettel.
I wasn't paying much attention in '07... partly because i was shocked at how Michael was ousted(there's no other way to put it). I don't pay much attention to "up and coming" drivel in most articles, as usually, it is just that. There have been very few newcomers who have shocked proper. Lewis for one did... but then again, he had the full support of the team from the get go. I mean JV did reasonably well at Williams in a great car with some support and i wonder what if he had moved to McLaren instead of BAR... Nevermind. I have to say it is very impressive that you did notice as much as you mention...
I wonder how much influence Michael has had on him. Michael was also known to have some (people are going to have a hard time believing this) emotional outbursts. As impossible as it seemed to most of the world, Michael was rather emotional, but he was rather private. Not just that, he was also very intelligent. He perhaps was the one who took the mantle from the Professor. You could see how he would control the race. No one believed him when he mentioned after the race at Catalunya that he spent most of it stuck in 5th. Stopping 4 times to Alonso's 3 (Alonso was in a faster car for that matter), to win French GP '04 was also impressive. Vettel shows similar streaks of a genius. Plus, the way he charges through the end of a campaign is phenomenal. Infact, i'm not so certain (old and senile, so don't remember much) but he perhaps may be the best ever so far in that respect.
He makes everyone look pedestrian when it comes to one lap pace. 38 poles! I think he may beat Schumacher's 68. Webber had a proper reputation for being a qualifying specialist before he was paired with Vettel. Now everyone discounts Webber as if he's nothing, and always has been. Which is a shame, but then that is what tells you how much of an impact Vettel is having on the viewing public. I for one think that no matter what he accomplishes, some people (Lewis/ Alonso/ Kimi fans primarily) will always be crying hoarse about how he is ordinary(he isn't!). I enjoy coming here when he wins poles/ races/ WDCs and see people rant about how it was all Newey.
To tell you something else, i'm mentally prepared for reading rants over here as he wins his 4th.
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If it was as bad as Alonso has said it is he would have ( really) struggled to get it into Q3 and Massa wouldn't have been able to do that, more politics and B/S from Alonso which for me proves he isn't as complete a driver as some think he is. He should just shut up and drive!
(Monza)
