Are we seeing a Vettel era?

[Lurk]

Well technically Alonso is married to a popstar

[jdlive]

Yes, Raquel who?

If he started dating Britney Spears instead, he would have been done by now.

[raymondu999]

Britney has a girlfriend already - Vivian Sibold

[Mandrake]

No, in 2010, Vettel and Webber both struggled in an utterly dominant car to tie up the season. Go back and listen to any commentary from the end of that year – you'll find the commentators lambasting the two RBR drivers for not wrapping it up earlier.

In 2010, Vettel and Webber were both mediocre drivers in an epic car, in 2011 Vettel is improved, and driving on the same level as Alonso, Hamilton and Button, but still in an epic car, putting him way out in front.

I wonder why many here black out on the reliability of that RB6. How many times did Vettel DNF due to his car and not his own fault? Spark plugs, brake disc explosions, engine failures.....

Resulting from that his gap to the leaders in the WDC standings.....his feeling that others are "running away with it".....he was trying to overcompensate and that led to Turkey, Spa and other occasions...

Mediocre drivers? You must be kidding.

[Gerhard Berger]

No, in 2010, Vettel and Webber both struggled in an utterly dominant car to tie up the season. Go back and listen to any commentary from the end of that year – you'll find the commentators lambasting the two RBR drivers for not wrapping it up earlier.

In 2010, Vettel and Webber were both mediocre drivers in an epic car, in 2011 Vettel is improved, and driving on the same level as Alonso, Hamilton and Button, but still in an epic car, putting him way out in front.

I wonder why many here black out on the reliability of that RB6. How many times did Vettel DNF due to his car and not his own fault? Spark plugs, brake disc explosions, engine failures.....

Resulting from that his gap to the leaders in the WDC standings.....his feeling that others are "running away with it".....he was trying to overcompensate and that led to Turkey, Spa and other occasions...

Mediocre drivers? You must be kidding.

Vettel had 2 DNFs due to reliability faults. Hamilton had 2, Alonso had 1.

Vettel had some bad luck for sure, just like all the other championship contenders so i don't see why we should only compensate for his bad luck when analysing the season.

I agree that medicore is way too far. Their form was patchy - some races they were dominant and others they were all over the place.

I think Alonso and Hamilton were the standout drivers in 2010.

[Richard]

Short memories again, Vettel at 24 is a Double World Champion with what 24 victories? This after 3,5 seasons in F1. Thats an achievement similar to Schumachers as well as a repeat.

Except that schumacher didn't drive 2 of his first 3 years in an utterly dominant car, and one more in a very-close-to-the-front car.

Can someone finally explain to me why people always choose to ignore his Toro Rosso years?

Yes, this is Vettel's 5th year in F1. (plus test driver sessions at Sauber in 2006)

He got his WDC in his 4th year, Hamilton got his WDC in his second year, Alonso in his 4th, Schumacher in his 4th year. So Vettel is on average for that.

To be honest a driver can only win a WDC if he happens to have the luck to be with the team that has a car that is fast enough. Yes, talent can get you into the top 3 teams, but it is "luck" if a driver chose the team that has the quicker car out the top 3.

It is also luck that a top 3 team has a space for a new driver at the same time as the fastest car. For example Vettel would have struggled to get a place a Ferrari or McLaren because the lead diver roles have been occupied for a few years. Another example, just imagine if Hamilton had his debut for McLaren in 2009, we'd be saying how he would make a good number 2 for Button.

That's why I take the "youngest" records with a pinch of salt, there are too many other factors of engineering and timing involved.

However, when the stars have lined up for Vettel, he has shown he is more than worthy of his accolades.

[raymondu999]

Rich; Vettel's one race for Sauber was in 2007. Vettel was in STR for half of 07, then has had 4 years since. So he is on 4.5years at the end of this year

Gerhard; Vettel's failures happened in the lead. He broke down twice in the lead in Australia and Melbourne, he lost the Bahrain win too. Others had reliability too; but they were in lower places. Hamilton's 2 came from 2nd and 5th; Alonso's from a lowly 9th. Don't forget there were issues that were non-terminal too; or ones that had a knock on effect, like his rear ARB collapsing in Turkey qualifying. He was some 4 tenths up on Mark's time after Sector 2 in qualifying, and lost it all and more in Sector 3

[Richard]

Sorry, I accidentally included his test driver year at Sauber to make 6 years. I'll update my post to say 5 years

[Raptor22]

are you including the test driving he did for Sauber/BMW? thats funny. Test driving dos not translate into race pace. thats been proven many times over.

Vettel has 2 DNF's but there were around 5 incidents involving brake problems

[raymondu999]

Raptor - Richard included them by mistake. He's edited his post since to say Vettel's in his 5th year of racing; PLUS test drives in the year before

[ESPImperium]

Vettel did 1,400.100km in 2006 at race weekends, and in 2007 he did 1,200.587 as well for BMW Sauber. This is where he was grounded in F1 before moving to SRT and making them look good, probably better than the sister team as well.

Im trying to see where and when and with whom he did his first F1 test with.

[raymondu999]

ESP - he did his first F1 test with Williams; on the 27th of September, 2005. This was as a reward for winning Formula BMW (With Williams still being with BMW at that point)

[Gerhard Berger]

Gerhard; Vettel's failures happened in the lead. He broke down twice in the lead in Australia and Melbourne, he lost the Bahrain win too. Others had reliability too; but they were in lower places. Hamilton's 2 came from 2nd and 5th; Alonso's from a lowly 9th. Don't forget there were issues that were non-terminal too; or ones that had a knock on effect, like his rear ARB collapsing in Turkey qualifying. He was some 4 tenths up on Mark's time after Sector 2 in qualifying, and lost it all and more in Sector 3

It's all swings and roundabouts. They all had good and bad luck.

Just to clarify, Hamilton lost a 2nd place and a likely 3rd place in Hungary (not 5th). Whilst Alonso had a clutch problem from the very start at Malaysia which compromised his whole race.

You can also consider the penalties handed out. Hamilton lost no places from his penalty at Valencia, Vettel lost 1 place (effectively 2) from his penalty at Hungary, whilst Alonso lost something like 10-15 places at Silverstone after his penalty.

We could be here all day analysing the good and bad luck that each driver! I think it evens out in the end though.

[raymondu999]

I don't think we can really do it for penalties; they were dished out because of a certain reason. Why do you say Lewis was a likely 3rd in Hungary? The Mclarens; as I remember it; were getting clotted by some half a second a lap by the Ferraris; and by some 1.5 seconds a lap by the Red Bulls. The McLarens were nowhere near them.

[Richard]

We could be here all day analysing the good and bad luck that each driver! I think it evens out in the end though.

I agree, you get the luck you deserve. Teams who plan well and are rigorous in everything they do leave less to chance.