Sebastian Vettel has determined to hold up his helmet on the finish of the season. It’s a choice which might doubtless have been obtained very in another way had he taken it two years in the past.
Again then,Vettel was on his manner out of Ferrari after Charles Leclerc had wrecked the four-time champion’s declare to be the crew’s high driver. Over his ultimate season in purple, Vettel was out-scored by his crew mate by a ratio of practically three to at least one.
He fared higher in opposition to Lance Stroll at Aston Martin final 12 months and little has modified this 12 months. Nonetheless the crew has taken one other step backwards in competitiveness, so the pair are combating over fewer factors than earlier than.
Stroll has managed 4 points-scoring finishes, all for tenth place and a single level every time. Vettel has finished barely higher, climbing as excessive as sixth in Baku (additionally the scene of his greatest end final 12 months), giving him a transparent lead over his crew mate within the championship.
That is typically reflective of the stability of energy between the pair. Stroll, in a sample we have now seen all through his profession, fared higher on race day than he does over a single lap in qualifying, the place Vettel’s margin of superiority is bigger.
Stroll vs Vettel race-by-race
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If issues keep the best way they’re over the rest of the season, Vettel’s departure will proceed an unlucky development for this crew. Each time considered one of its drivers leaves, it’s all the time the one which has out-performed his crew mate.
That was the case for Sergio Perez when the crew, then often known as Racing Level, minimize his contract brief by two years to be able to make manner for Vettel. Perez had conclusively overwhelmed Stroll over their two seasons collectively.
Stroll arrived on the crew on the finish of 2018, taking the place of Esteban Ocon. He had out-performed Perez over the earlier season, qualifying and ending forward of his crew mate, although Perez narrowly out-scored him.
The important thing distinction this time is Vettel is leaving of his personal selecting, moderately than being dropped to make manner for one more driver. Aston Martin have made one other characteristically daring hiring together with his substitute, Fernando Alonso, who might show an much more difficult crew mate for Stroll.
Stroll vs Vettel season abstract
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Stroll vs Vettel qualifying efficiency
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Hulkenberg’s substitute stint
Vettel missed the primary two races of the season as he examined optimistic for Covid-19. Nico Hulkenberg was drafted in as his substitute.
Hulkenberg stepped in alongside Lance Stroll for a similar motive at two races at Silverstone in 2020. He impressively out-qualified the crew’s common driver for the second of these.
A lot the identical occurred this 12 months, and so the main Aston Martin on the grid for the season-opening race belonged to Hulkenberg. In Jeddah, a brand new monitor for Hulkenberg, Stroll certified forward, and he led the vehicles to the flag in each races.
Hulkenberg vs Stroll season abstract
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Hulkenberg vs Stroll race-by-race
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Hulkenberg vs Stroll qualifying efficiency
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2022 F1 season
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