Vettel reveals 'handwritten letters from fans' gave him renewed energy and belief

Lol you can change Vettel and insert Lecrec and that would be spot on. The Lecrec bandwagon is now the most toxic bunch imbeciles new to F1 previously it was all Mad max now that novelty has worn off they have found a new one.

Vettel creamed Lecrec deal with it dipshits. Vettel is not there to go slow so that pole man here to keep his win. Vettel brought himself into play the strategy just came at the right time to try undecut Hamilton nothing more. Vettel just went one better.

name your acc 000000000002

You summed it up perfectly, I'm so glad to see there are still people like you who can use their brain!

I hope seb reads these. I have written him off but Vettel earned this race. He dealt with the back markets only Louis and Verstappen can. Aggressive and in control it was beautiful. I have to Hanson’s it to MB for adjusting on the fly to try to make it work. The one who should be pissed is Bottas. Also how could Leclerc be pissed sebs help in spa let him win. Today the pit strategy was reactive and brilliant. Ferrrari I think baited Hamilton to try too many times to get passed Leclerc to use up his tires

I completely agree, it was that out lap that did it. A logical view of things is always better.

You’ve got to be kidding me!

It is clear from Leclerc asking the team on lap 15 could he now push and form a gap, that the team had instructed Leclerc to drive slowly and back the field up, thus enabling Vettel to remain within striking distance of an undercut on Hamilton by way of dropping him into the ten second gap that had formed between Grosjean and Hulkenburg (which Leclerc could have been dropped into laps earlier).

Ferrari timed this to perfection. Vettel pitted and came out ahead of Hulkenberg (Verstappen didn’t) on fresh tyres and 11 seconds of clear track enabling him to undercut both Leclerc and Hamilton thereby giving Ferrari the one / two.

Job done. Leclerc did what was expected of him for the team to secure the one / two. It had absolutely nothing to do with Vettel and his engineer making a split second decision “to cover the RedBull of Max”. Without Leclerc’s assistance and without Vettel pitting first, Vettel would never have had the opportunity of passing Hamilton.

Leclerc has out qualified and outraced Vettel at every point since the Summer break (and prior to it). Leclerc earnt and rightly deserved the opportunity to pit ahead of Vettel…….. Just imaging had the tables been turned, Vettel would have been squealing and spitting the dummy like an entitled child, just as he always does.

It was right for Ferrari to pit Vettel first in order to secure the one two, but in doing so the team should have shown their respect for Leclerc and given the instruction to put him back ahead of Vettel immediately after.

Vettel’s carry on after the race that his motivation and first place came from the little notes and handwritten letters from fans is insipid nonsense. Once again, but for standing on the shoulders of his team mate, Vettel would not have won the race.

.... Sorry, the gap that had formed was between Stroll and Hulkenburg.

@Dr002 you have been spouting the same BS in every Vettel thread now. Butthurt Lecrec dimwit fan detected! How is that burn eh? No matter what mental gymnastics you try to employ Vettel just out drove whiner boy Lecrec. Lecrec stole pole by denying a tow at Monza. Not a peep from parasites like you.

Read it again so it gets into your slow brain. Vettel was faster and consistently slicing through traffic. Lecrec couldn't even build a gap that was supposed to be his task to protect his lead.

Excellent......

@dr002

that's not what Binotto says...

That particular circumstance arose at the end of Lap 18, when Ferrari spotted Red Bull’s pit crew emerging from their garage, with Max Verstappen duly called in from P4. Unable to call Leclerc into the pits in time even if they’d wanted to, instead Vettel, some four seconds further back, received a late call to pit from third place, before then pounding in a rapid out-lap to emerge with the net lead after Leclerc’s own stop a lap later.

@mclarenfan1968,
I am indifferent when it comes to Leclerc, however it would be true to say that I am no fan of Vettel’s…... Having said that, in my previous posts you’ll see that I strongly rallied behind Vettel when it came to the penalty handed him in Canada.

With respect to Monza, Vettel was initially supposed to give Leclerc a tow but ‘somehow’ locked up at the chicane. Leclerc then drafted both Renaults to ‘EARN’ his time, but as usual even though Vettel didn’t fulfil his roll, he still expected the tow from Leclerc. So yes, you are right, I’ve got no problem with Leclerc not providing Vettel with a tow at Monza.

As for Leclerc not building a gap to protect his lead in Singapore, it was clear from radio calls that Leclerc had been instructed to back up the field, which backed Hamilton up into Vettel, thus keeping an undercut over Hamilton alive for Vettel.

As @Kroketje76 pointed out, Vettel “received a late call to pit from third place before then pounding in a rapid outlap to emerge with the net lead”……. Vettel was on fresh tyres and had 11 seconds of clear track ahead of him, of course he secured the overcut…… So no @mclarenfan1968, Vettel DID NOT get ahead of Leclerc by “consistently slicing through traffic”, both Vettel and Leclerc did not get near traffic for another 2 laps.

@Kroketje76,
Of course Ferrari closed off the threat of an undercut from Verstappen, though it is also clear they were attempting an undercut themselves on Hamilton. Both Ferrari and Redbull had held off pitting Vettel and Verstappen until they were able to ensure that their drivers got out ahead of Hulkenburg and into free air. Vettel did, Verstappen did not. In fact had Verstappen got out ahead of Hulkenburg there is the real chance Verstappen would also have ended up ahead of Leclerc, such was the effect of the undercut in the race.

My point is that Leclerc earned the right to pit first by virtue of his performance over past races, by virtue of out qualifying Vettel in such an emphatic manner and by virtue of being the lead Ferrari in the race. After his pit stop Leclerc re-entered the track immediately behind Vettel and it would be another 2 laps before they both caught up to traffic, so Ferrari had every opportunity to instruct Vettel to give first place back to Leclerc in acknowledgment of Leclerc not being provided with the opportunity to pit first.

I believe that Vettel, and indeed any driver, should ‘earn’ number one status at a team, not be ‘gifted’ it based on performances at another team, in another era, 5 years ago. Vettel simply has not earned it, and F1 is the lessor for Ferrari keeping him as their number one driver.

@mclarenfan1968,
So if I am a butthurt for believing that a driver who has been consistently out performing his team mate, AND who definitively out poled his team mate, AND who was ahead of his team mate in the race; should be acknowledged by the team and granted pit stop advantages, then so be it.

Well said DGG. You gotta put yourself in the seat of a team boss, and ask what would you do? Ferrari nailed it this weekend. Vettel put in a flying outlap and pulled off the brilliant undercut. It had to have been a split second call whether to pit Charles that lap and bold to call Seb in at the end of the lap. Charles is a serious contender and pretty damn mature for his age. This may both humble him and also push him to the next level as well so there won't be any doubts about who the real winner is. Finally Ferrari showing some racing bravado.

@Mclarenfan1968, I agree that Hamilton could have undercut Leclerc. There's absolutely no doubt Hamilton could have won the race had Mercedes pitted him before Leclerc and dropped him into the same gap Ferrari dropped Vettel into. I total agree with you.

I also agree that Vettel "proved his mettle long long ago in a Torro Ross in the wets at Monza", and that, with the assistance of his team, he was once a very successful driver. He's just not as successful these days in this current design era.

My point is that Vettel should not be 'entitled' to the number one driver status within the Ferrari team for the very reasons that you've just raised, that being that the fundamental design of the car this season (and last season, and the season before) does not suit him.

I also agree with you that Leclerc has achieved nothing more than what a number of other drivers within F1 would have achieved "in a top flight car". I also agree that if Leclerc can outclass him, then Vettel would no doubt have been outclassed by those drivers also.

There is no denying that Vettel has cost the team points both this year and last year, because (and we're in agreement on this point) Vettel hasn't been able to adapted to the fundamental design of the car. His other problem is one of confidence as he has turned into a Spinner.

For the former reason alone Vettel should not be FAVOURED as the number one driver at Ferrari this year. If he earns the number one status ON HIS OWN MERIT then I'd have no problem with him being given the number one status at Ferrari once again.

Until then, give the number one status to the driver that HAS adapted to this year's car, or put yet another way, give it to the driver that has earned it on track - this year.

LMAO