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[stonemonkey]

Here we go! Vettel buys his dad a ferrari california...the rumor mill will go crazy I think

http://www.foxsports.com/motor/story/f1 ... ari-081114

I don't think it'll go crazy, it was either the California or a megane with a boot (trunk) full of red bull.

[geetface9]

good point! Was probably delivered by a truck in red bull livery too (that is, unless he drove it home)

I'm legitimately curious if vettel had to ask for permission or give christian horner a heads up before he bought one. You never know what's in those contracts

[stonemonkey]

I dunno but I really doubt there'd be any stipulation about what cars an F1 driver can or cannot buy, perhaps about what cars they can be seen in or driving at promotional or public events, I could maybe see that.

[What's Burning?]

So according to Horner, one of the factors for Vettel being "down" is that he's tired having fought for a championships for four years... you just can't make this stuff up.

ESPNF1 Red Bull team principal Christian Horner says a number of factors have contributed to Sebastian Vettel's disappointing performances this year, including fatigue from five years of fighting for the title.

The defending four-time champion has scored 88 points this year, but has struggled to match the performances of his new team-mate Daniel Ricciardo who has scored 131. Horner said the energy exerted in the past five years - in which Vettel won four titles - has taken its toll on his driver, who has also struggled to adapt to the new regulations.

"It is a combination of several things," Auto Bild Motorsport and Reuters reported Horner as saying. "First, when you have fought for the title for five years, it does wear you out a little bit, but that is not the fundamental problem. The way Sebastian brought out those extra tenths from the car in recent years was quite unique. He is very sensitive to the behaviour of the car, especially when braking."

Horner believes Vettel has "lost part of his feeling for the car", adding that his star driver used to drive "like a ballerina, dancing on the throttle and the brakes".

"The driveability was really bad [at the start of this year], so Seb could not look after the tyres in the way that he always has done. His pace in Hungary showed he is getting the feeling for the car back again."

Red Bull and Renault struggled to get the RB10 running, let alone performing, during pre-season testing and the majority of reliability issues have afflicted Vettel's car. Horner believes the reduced track time is also a factor in Vettel's struggle.

"We can't forget how many mechanical problems Sebastian has had - many of them just little things that have disrupted his flow. So he has had less time to adapt his driving style."

[stonemonkey]

It must be so hard having a car way out in front, I mean the guys fighting over 2nd place can just take things easy and relax.

[LH44]

Apologists like Horner will always find an excuse but this year has proved what some have always suspected that Vettel was flattered by the Redbull, had a near useless team mate and is no where near as good as 4titles in a row would suggest.

[sagi58]

Why is it that when we like a driver, we "explain" his difficult times and laud his good;
but, when it's a driver we don't particularly like, we "knew" he was too good to be true?

And, for those who will assume I'm trying to stir the pot, please understand that I am
completely fascinated by this phenomenon, which I have noticed on a number of sites!
So, it's not an observation or a condemnation of the members on this forum, so much
as it's a comment on F1 fans, in general!

[CookinFlat6]

Not sure why it's hard to grasp for someone who has admitted criticising and stirring the pot about other drivers and teams because their own team are continuing to do badly

[sagi58]

Not sure why it's hard to grasp for someone who has admitted criticising and stirring the pot about other drivers and teams because their own team are continuing to do badly

I've admitted what?

Check that you're not looking into a mirror,
rather than your computer monitor!!

[CookinFlat6]

theres a surprise - Sagi does not remember her previous post when she had changed opinion within the SAME post and had no option but to admit she had no basis whatsoever for stirring the pot and was only doing so because she was frustrated that her team got spanked by RBR and was now getting spanked even worse by Merc.

In time I will get round to cut n pasting said post, which was triggered by LRW's patience and perseverance in tracking the intra post opinion changes. In the meantime feel free to make a big deal about those who ""stir the pot about drivers and teams"" without a shred of logic or knowledge and in an obvious (to anyone with a pulse) attempt to 'put down' other successful teams/drivers

[racechick]

Sagi I can remember you saying that it is likely that your dislike of certain drivers(Hamilton?) and/ or teams, is possibly borne out of your frustration with the current state of the team you support. Forgive me if I've not got that quite right and I can't remember exactly where you wrote it, but I certainly remember seeing it and being surprised that you wrote it.

. I think you're right, it's natural that we are more likely to excuse our favourites and be hard on the drivers/ teams that we don't support. But it's not entirely the story. I, and other Mercedes supporters have been somewhat critical of Mercedes in the Mercedes thread( getting rid of Brawn, not being 'on it' on the pit wall, unreliability) Mercedes are my team but I can see wrongs they do...in my eyes.
Coming back to Vettel. His supporters seem to have deserted ship
Again I can only speak personally but I was never a massive fan at the height of his 'greatness' , felt he was overrated , not on a par with Alonso and Hamilton and not deserving of four world titles, and I said so at the time. Now, when we see him exposed, I don't feel inclined to stick the boot in, I think he's taking it pretty well and for that I respect him ( more than I did in his somewhat arrogant finger years)

[sagi58]

And, that's the crux of the issue, if I'm allowed to say so.
Comments are taken out of context, so that the intent is lost.

[Hammer278]

And, that's the crux of the issue, if I'm allowed to say so.
Comments are taken out of context, so that the intent is lost.

Or maybe you're just bad at expressing yourself? After all, it's not just 1 person in this forum who has a hard time understanding you.

[LH44]

That's why it's important to show humility when you're winning because things change quickly in F1. The entire Redbull hierarchy and Vettel were very arrogant at the height of their dominance and it was only a matter of time before they were exposed. Does Vettel really have any choice but to lump it up?
I find it strange how certain sections of the viewership were suddenly complaining about the current racing, rules etc considering Redbull pretty much monopolised the show to their benefit over the past 4yeaes unlike Mercedes who at least allow both their drivers to race. In Bernie's words, the dissenting voices will quieten down once they start winning.
So Alonso's prophecy about how Vettel performs when he hasn't a top car suddenly doesn't look like sour grapes now does it? Lewis and him have shown their quality in much more dodgier cars over the years and I'm not even a big fan of Alonso.

[racechick]

Same. I'm no Alonso fan but I can recognise the talent. He's the only one ( equipment aside) that can put himself on a par with Hamilton. And both Hamilton and Alonso know that. They don't spend years racing against these guys and not know where the real talent and competition is coming from.