Vettel to get one of his title-winning cars – eventually

2014 F1 season

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Sebastian Vettel will be given one of his championship-winning Red Bull cars as a farewell present by his former team.

But the four-times champion won’t receive his car immediately as Red Bull don’t want technology from the car finding its way into the hands of Vettel’s new team for 2015, Ferrari.

“We don’t want it turning up in Maranello,” said team principal Christian Horner after presenting Vettel with a selection of parting gifts on Vettel’s final visit to the team’s based in Milton Keynes. In the meantime he will have to make do with a 50% scale model of another of his cars.

The Italy-bound driver was also given an espresso cup, sunglasses and a pair of tight red Speedos.

Vettel, who appeared in Ferrari overalls for the first time on Saturday, said goodbye to team members at the factory. “The last six years have been incredible,” he said. “What we’ve achieved, the work that’s gone in. So much passion, so much dedication. It will always stay in my heart. Big, big thank you to everyone.”

“In the end we had the better car because we were the better team. ‘Thank you’ really doesn’t really describe enough what I feel.”

Red Bull previously gave one of their 2009 RB5 cars – the team’s first race-winning design – to chief technical director Adrian Newey.

Vettel visits Red Bull to say goodbye

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Keith Collantine
Lifelong motor sport fan Keith set up RaceFans in 2005 - when it was originally called F1 Fanatic. Having previously worked as a motoring...

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46 comments on “Vettel to get one of his title-winning cars – eventually”

  1. Hilarious about the speedo.

    I’d want the 2011 car, but I can see him being proudest of his 2012 season.

    1. I think I did get the joke there…

    2. Proudest of his 2012 season? That is probably one season where 99.9% of the people would agree that Alonso was on a completely different level to everyone else, including Vettel.

      I think 2010 season must be the one dearest to him since it’s his first title.

      1. People don’t know much.

      2. No way. 2012 was very competitive, but he just completely outdrove Alonso.

        In 2011 and 2013 his car was vastly better than the others, which made it easier to win, although he was masterful in those seasons, particularly the end of 2013.

    3. No way. Vettel was poor in 2012. Webber was beating him in the first half of the season and even when he began returning to form Hamilton and Alonso were better. Why not the 2011 or 2013 cars? Vettel ,in my opinion, was a clear number one those years.

      1. Chris Harrison
        3rd December 2014, 1:40

        I think his best year was probably 2013, which was a shame, because by that point I think a lot of people were getting a little bored of him and didn’t really appreciate the level he drove to.

        1. I think so too Chris. He dominated in 2013..

      2. @theo-hrp

        No way. Vettel was poor in 2012. Webber was beating him in the first half of the season

        Webber was only beating him because of Karthikeyan slashing Vettel’s tire in Malaysia, and Vettel dropping out from the lead through no fault of his own in Valencia. Webber really only was better in China, Monaco and Great-Britain.

        But I would agree that 2012 wasn’t his very best year.

  2. I bet Seb will want to take his 2012 RB8 to Fiorano and compare with the F2012 he drove there a couple of days ago :-P

  3. I read recently that his favourite was the RB6, but I doubt he has a choice.

    1. That’s certainly the one I’d want. Newey said it had the most downforce of any F1 car ever in an interview earlier this year.

    2. Webber was given an Rb6 in 2010.

  4. They should give him an RB2. Ferrari know most of the details about that one…

    1. “Sebastian Vettel will be given one of his championship-winning Red Bull cars as a farewell present by his former team.” Key words here are “his” and “championship-winning” and the RB2 is none of those.

      1. pretty sure its a joke…

        1. some people dont get it….

          1. I didn’t get it? Was it because the RB2 had a Ferrari engine?

  5. Gonna be RB8. Worst car of 2009-2013.

  6. I don’t think the 2013 was the best redbull car – but I think vettel hit driver/car relationship perfection with that car after half season – it was utter dominance of the sport. so maybe they should give him that one – that was one of the most dominant “era” of car/driver ever in f1, and record breaking. rosberg and Hamilton couldn’t do that dominance with this years Mercedes, but both drivers get a second shot next year :)

  7. Luscious Liz? Randy Mandy? Kinky Kylie? Abbey? Hungry Heidi?

    Lucky guy.

  8. I doubt that he would want Ferrari’s technicians to take his RB F1 car apart.

  9. A good offering by the Redbull team.
    Vettel is a pretty good racer in my opinion, true we might not able to compare his talent with other drivers but still I consider him to be a clean driver. He had to fight for most of his championships until the last race.
    The only negative I ever felt about him (as I am Indian :P) was when he called Narain Karthikeyan “a potato” but for me a 4 time world champion gets away with that so I forgive him.
    The Malaysia incident is fine for me cause as a racer you always go for that tiny chance that opens up, Mark had his chance to fight back but he couldn’t recover.

    1. Wasn’t Kartikeyan called a cucumber? For sure that is better than a potato.

    2. He called him a cucumber in German only. I was told that while this is a negative word in German used to describe a slow, erratic driver (e.g. the stereotypical pensioner with hat), it is not a real insult.

    3. “He had to fight for most of his championships until the last race.”

      No he didn’t.

      1. Oeiiiiiiiiiiii! (another davidnotcoulthard account) (@)
        3rd December 2014, 7:59

        @matt90 Well, half of them…….

  10. The 50% car will go straight in the wind tunnel…

    1. @bulldog @keithcollantine According to the RedbullRacing website, and the pictures, it’s a 50% model of the bull, not an F1 car, that was given to Vettel.

      1. Ferrari may still be able to find some aero improvements with it…and my name’s not Roscoe.

        1. Hahahaa, that made me laugh loudly! :)

        2. @bullfrog, sorry, my bad! :)

        1. He received the scale car now, but won’t receive the actual F1 car till his career with Ferrari is over.

          1. No, he did not receive a scale car. Didn’t you look at the picture? I clearly is a model of a bull (bull as in male cow) and not a model of a car!

            @bmk1586

          2. “In the meantime he will have to make do with a 50% scale model of another of his cars.”
            Per the article above

          3. Sorry, misunderstood

          4. @bmk1586

            Yes, the point was that the article is incorrect.

  11. ..really the best engineering move Ferrari could make for 2015 is to get their hands on that RB10 and a bit of red paint. :) heh heh.. kidding!!

  12. Red Bull can just call oh Minichamps and give Vettel one of their 1:43s to him. Ferrari can take that to the wind tunnel…

  13. I think he can wait, because he has a nice racing car. :)

  14. I wonder if it comes with an engine, some spare parts and the laptops needed to make it go. I’d be happy to be given an F1 car but I’d want to be able to take it out for a drive every once in a while.

    1. Well Newey’s car is in driving condition and he has taken it out on some occasions.

  15. I’m not a Vettel hater but I think he win 4 WC in a row because of the car. In 2010 and 2012 there are 2 guys who deserve the title more than Vettel, and in 2011 he’s not maximise every opporpunity, unlike Button and Alonso. 2013 probably the only title that Vettel deserve. Other champions have drove poor car and they still showed that they are very good. Vettel have poor car this season but Ricciardo prove that even with a car that almost slower than Merc by 1 second, he able to win races, and it not only once, but three times. I’m might be wrong about Vettel, but lets find out next season how good he is.

    1. @deongunner

      I’m might be wrong about Vettel, but lets find out next season how good he is.

      Just saw this, but I suppose you’ve suddenly changed your mind, eh? Disagree on a few other things:

      In 2010 and 2012 there are 2 guys who deserve the title more than Vettel

      Neither 2010 or 2012 were years with dominant cars. The RB8 wasn’t even the fastest car of 2012. Vettel had to fight for both every step of the way, and he came out on top. In 2010 in particular, it was impressive how he calmly delivered when it mattered most at the end.

      In 2011 he’s not maximise every opporpunity, unlike Button and Alonso.

      Button and Alonso finished behind and were outqualified by their teammates more often than Vettel did that year. The then record 122 point margin between 1st & 2nd was reflective of BUT being poorer than VET ahead, and ALO behind him.

  16. Alonso was promised his Renault as a pressie – then promptly moved to McLaren. Flav hit the roof and delayed the car reaching him for the same reasons. We were lucky enough to have it in our car showroom for a F1 event – complete with engine etc. very exciting (some of the guys even got to sit in it!!)

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