Aston Martin: Vettel will ‘do the job’ in better car

Sebastian Vettel has been backed by Aston Martin team boss Otmar Szafnauer to deliver if he has the right car available to him.

Aston Martin’s exciting new adventure has started on a rocky road after failing to match the lofty heights set during the 2020 campaign in their final year as Racing Point.

Tearing up their own playbook on aero philosophy, the RP20 was widely dubbed ‘the pink Mercedes’ due to its likeness to the title-winning W10 car, produced by their engine suppliers Mercedes.

But, a key change in the aero regulations from 2020 to 2021, has led to those running low-rake cars – such as Mercedes and Aston Martin – losing more downforce compared to their high-rake rivals.

As a result, examples of success have been few and far between for Aston Martin this season and the same can be said for Vettel, a high-profile new recruit from Ferrari embarking on what could well be his final challenge in Formula 1.

Vettel has been on the podium this year for his new team following his second-place finish at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix – and would have had a second podium appearance to his name in Hungary had he not have been disqualified for a post-race fuel infringement.

But, all in all, that has led to Vettel scraping just 43 points together with two races left to go in the 2021 campaign, while Aston Martin’s total of 77 points leaves them in somewhat of a No Man’s Land in P7 in the Constructors’ Championship.

Neither driver nor team would have envisaged those respective points totals in their first season together, but Szafnauer is still very impressed with what Vettel has brought to Aston Martin.

He also has no doubts that Vettel can deliver at the sharp end of the Formula 1 field when the team provide him with a better car to challenge with.

“Seb is doing a great job for us,” Szafnauer told Motorsport-Magazin.

“We really enjoy working with him.

“It’s really unfortunate that we couldn’t give him a competitive car to drive at the front because of the circumstances we found ourselves in.

“If we give him a better car, then he will also do his job in the car.”

Szafnauer also believes Lance Stroll has earned valuable experience working alongside a four-time World Champion in Vettel.

He added: “Lance also learned a lot from him. We have two great racers and look forward to giving them a new car next year.”

Can Aston Martin record another double-points finish?

Will Aston Martin be able to score another double-points finish?