Seb Vettel – why all the hatred?
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@victor – And if, say, Michael Schumacher had won the race and dedicated it to Sid Watkins, what would your response be?
@prisoner-monkeys – completely different. As Brundle pointed out, ‘he’s a young chap, he wouldn’t know Sid Watkins very well’.
@Victor
Likely not, but that doesn’t mean he don’t know him, and Vettel will definetely be aware of what a tremendous job Watkins has done for the sport, and in the end, for the safety of Vettel him self.I’m not saying he doesn’t, but sometimes you’re smaller than you might believe, even as double world champion. Vettel dedicating his win to Watkins isn’t nearly as genuine as Bernie patting his head yesterday during qualifying. In my mind it’s cringeworthy and attention-seeking (it also implies his win would have meant something to Watkins).
I agree entirely with @mads on this one.
If he’s not even allowed to say that without being criticised, then why bother letting him pay tributes at all?
And I’m sure if he hadn’t said anything about Dr. Watkins, he’d be criticized by some for that too. Fact is we don’t know how well they knew each other (if at all). I have no problem with him saying what he said.
I think who ever won today would probably have mentioned Professor Watkins, just like they all most likely signed the condolence book, so what’s the problem here?
It’s because of men like Sid Watkins and Sebastian Vettel, who stand out from their peers, that others are encouraged to be the best they can be, even if that does mean being “ordinary”
In any sport where the only real benchmark is your team-mate, or the only way you can excell is to improve the sport for the better, whether you become reviled, or loved depends on how much others wish they were in your shoes, or how much everyone appreciates the work you’ve done. In that respect both men have succeeded spectacularly and should be afforded the appropriate respect.
So, Schumi gave this interview:
http://en.espnf1.com/mercedes/motorsport/story/87006.html
The part of the interview I want to show is this:
“Sebastian is a great guy and a great driver who has to deal with opposition. This is a learning process. To be a good winner, you have to lose too. I know that each and every driver does not like to lose, I am no exception, but this is part of your development. Only when you have learned the losing do you gain respect and enjoy the winning more. Life is an up and down, you must learn that.”
My feelings exactly!! @Prisoner Monkeys said it pretty well too!! It´s the way he sticks his finger out that gets on my nerves. It´s like he´s saying “up yours”…
As for him as as a person, I too see him as a “pre-fabricated” product… It´s like he was groomed for this… not like he actually worked for it like others have… Although the “Schumi era” was boring… he actually earned every last right to it!! Ferrari was a “nobody” until Schumi went in with a bunch of exceptionally talented people to the team… Vettel in my opinion is like somebody buying his way to the top.. RED BULL spend a bunch of money in order to have the best and they have succeeded in that but is it good though?About the dedication to the Prof… well, if it was sincere he should have said it right off the top of his head, not on a second radio transmission as if ” hey, this is a good opportunity to say something nice and people will like me..” sort of deal… I particularlly don´t care much about it but it did bother me some.
And just to throw this out there… I hate his winning radio transmissions…. it all just seems too scripted… not genuine at all!!! It´s like he´s reciting something…
BTW, hatred is just a tad much… I would call it annoying/border-line hate…
I think that his ability to carefully translate “on the fly” from his native language may answer the “scripted” critique.
I grew up watching the likes of Mike Hawthorn, Graham Hill, Denny Hulme, Bruce McLaren and John Surtees among many others which means my perspective stems from the days when winning was much more to do with the skill and bravery of the driver and much less to do with technology and I can honestly say that the precision and control displayed by the likes of Alonso, Button, DiResta, Raikonnen and Vettel at every race weekend reminds me more of those “seat of the pants” drivers and less of the “machine operators” who can’t go five races without hitting someone unless they’re in the fastest car and therefore don’t have to work as hard…
The Ferrari/Schumi era was, as many will remember a time where they genuinely had a real advantage over ALL other teams following the deplorable “If we’re not allowed a better deal than everyone else, we won’t race” era and as such the support of an entire country, excellent drivers such as Berger and Barrichello to run interferance, Jean Todt and Ross Brawn’s unparalelled management skills and their unequalled financial platform to work from meant that Schumacher’s dominance was inevitable, rather than earned, so to suggest that Vettel has been “Parachuted” into his position as the best young driver to dominate the sport since it’s inception is quite frankly baffling?
As for “the finger” I would much rather he showed his genuine delight in triumphing over so many more experienced drivers at the end of qualifying, or winning, than exhibit the kind of practiced arrogance and superior attitude as displayed by the likes of Prost, Senna, Schumacher, and a few others during their time at the top. In this respect, his unofficial and unplanned interviews are positively humble in comparison.
I would however prefer to see British drivers on the top step every week, but only if they deserve to be there.
@Clive Loosley
As for “the finger” I would much rather he showed his genuine delight in triumphing over so many more experienced drivers at the end of qualifying, or winning, than exhibit the kind of practiced arrogance and superior attitude as displayed by the likes of Prost, Senna, Schumacher
Very well said sir! I agree completely!
I respect Vettel but i don’t really like him too much.
He sounds a bit plastic to me to be honest; a bit too fake. I don’t get that feeling even with Schumacher before.People also dislike him being a bit of Mummy’s boy (well, Helmut Marko actually).
Help it or not, some fans are suspicious of Helmut’s influence behind the scenes and the kind of treatment dished out to Webber at Turkey 2010 illustrates especially why; when the fault was immediately pinned on Webber whereas Helmut was pandering to Golden Boy Vettel and ensuring he did not have scratch or had his feelings hurt boo hoo.There is also doubt whether Webber does receives equal equipment throughout a season. Silverstone 2010 saga was one where the team was eager to switch the front wing from Webber’s car to Vettel (i didn’t buy the story of them doing it because Vettel was leading Webber in the table). Lest anyone say this is nonsense, i would ask how many times have Webber’s car suffered from KERs/gearbox issues this year compared to Vettel? Not saying that the mechanics deliberately sends Webber out on track on 3 wheels and with no steering wheel but they definitely are that bit more careful with Vettel’s car than Webber’s. Such perceptions of unfair treatment meted to his team-mate doesn’t help Vettel’s cause as well; people don’t really like seeing him attain what is perceived to be easy success because the competition has already been tweaked in his favour at his team-mate’s expense.
Throwing a strop at his team whenever Webber has the upper hand or when things aren’t going his way doesn’t help people’s perception of him as all-smiles when things are going well, all-petulance when things go awry.
Strange thing is, i actually rooted heavily for Vettel in his early days and his Monza 08 win with Toro Rosso was a truly magical moment and a fresh breath of wind to people bored of seeing the usual suspects win all the time.
I was eager to see him do well and his 2009 performance and also amiable general behavior in particular endeared him to alot of people and me as well who see him as a likeable young gun eager to do well in the sport he loves.
But events in the 2010 season started to portray him in a different light and after that i was genuinely turned off by him and never really liked him since.
The strange, or sad, thing really is the double standards. Vettel constantly gets slammed for things that other drivers also do, often to a far worse extend. See above the ridiculous complaints about a winning driver paying his respects to a legend of Formula One. And when you ask them why they apply this double standard, it stays silent.
@ginola14 If there is Vettel fanboyism within Red Bull, it’s probably Helmut Marko. Dietrich Mateschitz has always been a Webber fanboy.
To be honest I can sort of relate to Marko – Marko is, after all, head of the young driver program at Red Bull – and you have to say Vettel is the best graduate of that program yet.
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