EJ: Vettel will make Aston Martin ‘a lot stronger’

Jon Wilde
Eddie Jordan Sebastian Vettel

Eddie Jordan Sebastian Vettel

Eddie Jordan recently said Aston Martin had “made a mistake” by signing Sebastian Vettel – but now thinks the team will be “a lot stronger” with the German on board.

Rather than Vettel’s on-track performances, which Jordan slammed in a recent interview as “pathetic” compared to team-mate Charles Leclerc at Ferrari in the past two years, Jordan thinks his experience and knowledge will be crucial in helping to develop a better car.

Vettel was told his Ferrari contract would not be extended two months before the 2020 action had got under way and after lengthy speculation, it was eventually announced in September that he was joining Aston Martin.

His team-mate will be Lance Stroll, 11 years Vettel’s junior and son of Aston Martin F1 owner Lawrence Stroll whom Jordan has known for more than 30 years.

That relationship dates back to before the time when Jordan was running his own eponymous F1 team – and he has likened Vettel’s move to Aston Martin to when he brought in Damon Hill two years after he had won the World Championship for Williams.

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Sebastian Vettel Lance Stroll Aston Martin

“The team [Aston Martin] have chosen Vettel because of the knowledge he has, as a four-time World Champion,” Jordan told The Race.

“I can speak from experience. Hill coming to me wasn’t necessarily the quickest driver in the world but he was hugely knowledgeable, hugely talented and he had an ability to impart information and knowledge to us, to be able to build a far better car.

“I do believe that’s where Vettel will be really strong. And I think the team will be a lot stronger as a result.”

Jordan also speculated that Mercedes may have been keen to see their fellow German driving an Aston Martin car powered by one of their engines – with Vettel having tried and failed to conquer the World Champions throughout his six years with Ferrari.

The Racing Point, now rebranded as Aston Martin, was last year described as the ‘pink Mercedes’ due to its similarity to the 2019 World Championship-winning car – so much so that a punishment was dished out when the rear brake ducts were adjudged to have been copied.

“There’s no doubt Vettel was enticed to come to the team because of Mercedes,” said Jordan.

“It’s not a Mercedes full team but it’s a huge involvement of Mercedes in this team and they will have wanted to see Vettel being part of it, that’s for sure.”

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