Melbourne (AP) – Sebastian Vettel took the messed up start to his Formula 1 year with humor. With a friendly wave and a smile, the ex-world champion rode back to the Aston Martin garage on a scooter after having to park his smoking company vehicle with engine problems.
After surviving the coronavirus infection, the 34-year-old finally wanted to start with a delay in Melbourne on Friday, but nothing came of it in training for the Australian Grand Prix on April 10 (7:00 a.m. CEST / Sky). The Hessian missed the second session completely because his car wasn’t ready to drive.
“We are not where we want to be at the moment”
“I would have liked to drive more. It was good to sit in the car and I got back in quickly,” said Vettel on Sky: “Unfortunately, we didn’t manage to get the car ready.” Something broke on the engine, he said. The result could now be that the drive is changed, but Vettel should be back on the track on Saturday.
“We’re not where we want at the moment,” Vettel said hours before his sobering short exit, which only brought him 13th place on the tableau with a large deficit. With a fire extinguisher, he tried to cool down the smoking engine himself and help if necessary. The fact that he completely missed one of only three training hours is particularly bitter because he lacks a lot of driving time anyway. He was not allowed to be there in either Bahrain or Saudi Arabia after his positive coronavirus test.
“I ride my bike faster”
To top it all off, Vettel had to speak to the race stewards because of his scooter ride. Actually, it is not allowed to return to the box in this way. “I rode slowly, so I ride my bike faster,” said Vettel about the action, in which he only put his helmet on his head slightly and occasionally rode hands-free. A marshal gave him the vehicle and Vettel took the opportunity to return.
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The 53-time Grand Prix winner was celebrated on social media for the moody exit. Vettel doesn’t have much reason to be happy right now. “It’s a disadvantage not having participated in the first two races,” he said Down Under. After all, he is fit again after the quarantine in his Swiss adopted home. “I’m fine, better than a few weeks ago,” said Vettel in the paddock.
It was “strange” for him to only watch the first Grand Prix from the outside. “I was part of the meetings and briefings. I tried to make the best of it,” said the four-time world champion and praised his substitute Nico Hulkenberg: “Nico did it very well without any preparation.”
Aston Martin still has “a lot of work to do”
Vettel has already won three times in Melbourne in the past, but this time it will not be possible in the Aston Martin, which is still far too weak. “That would be a bit difficult,” said the veteran. The team from England still has “a lot of work to do”.
Vettel traditionally gives his car its own name. However, that has not happened this year. The car first has to drive a little faster, Vettel joked and then said a little more seriously: “We need a little more time than usual.”
In the fight for the title, leader Charles Leclerc demonstrated his strong form with the best time in training. The Ferrari driver and former teammate of Vettel drove the fastest lap in 1:18.978 minutes. He pushed world champion Max Verstappen into second place in the Red Bull. While another duel between the Scuderia and Red Bull is also looming in Melbourne, record world champion Lewis Hamilton only managed 13th place in the Mercedes. Mick Schumacher had to settle for 18th place further back in the Haas racing car.