Vettel: Fears only works teams can win F1 title are "old school"
Sebastian Vettel believes fears only works teams are capable of winning championships in Formula 1 are “old school” as he begins life with Mercedes customer Aston Martin.
Vettel will enjoy his first extended run-out for Aston Martin this week in Bahrain during F1’s sole pre-season test.
The four-time world champion has joined the newly-rebranded team for 2021 following his exit with Ferrari, marking a move away from a factory operation.
Aston Martin receives power units and other parts from Mercedes as part of a technical collaboration between the teams, and even modelled the design of last year’s Racing Point car on Mercedes’ 2019 title-winner.
But Vettel rejected the suggestion that Aston Martin would not be able to fight for wins and championships so long as it is a customer outfit as it looks to become title contenders in the next three-to-five years.
"I'm not worried about that, I think your fears are old school,” Vettel said. “The world has moved on. I think in the past, probably you were right.
“With somebody like Mercedes, I think we can trust that you get a very fair treatment. And if you are faster, then you are allowed to beat them.
“As I said, this sort of mindset is way out of date. As a principle. I see where you're coming from, but I'm not worried.
“If we are very, very close to Mercedes, that is a very good achievement. So it will be the last thing I would worry about.”
2021 will mark the first time Vettel has raced with Mercedes engines in F1, having previously been powered by BMW, Renault and Ferrari.
Vettel said he was curious to work with the German manufacturer’s power units, which are widely regarded to be the best in F1 and will be used by three customer teams this season.
"The Mercedes power unit is supposedly the strongest on the grid, and it will be my first time with Mercedes in Formula 1,” Vettel said.
“I'm looking forward to see how they work. I already got introduced into the power unit and how it's supposed to be working and handled and so on. So I think this can only only help us.
“The fact that we are obviously not in charge of the engine in its development and so on, and we can benefit from such a strong partner, is only to help. We can get on with the car and worry about that.
“Outside, you have people you get along with, and you have people you don't get along with. I don't think that it hurts if you get along with each other.
"But in that case, I think the strongest benefit is the fact that we are powered by Mercedes.”
Related video
Will F1 drivers continue to take a knee in 2021?
How Aston Martin has moved on from Mercedes clone controversy
Inside AlphaTauri’s Faenza F1 factory
AlphaTauri’s mission in F1 is to sell clothes and train young drivers rather than win the championship – but you still need a cutting-edge factory to do that. Team boss Franz Tost takes GP Racing’s Oleg Karpov on a guided tour of a facility that’s continuing to grow.
Connecting two of Ferrari's favourite F1 sons: Villeneuve and Leclerc
Gilles Villeneuve's exploits behind the wheel of a Ferrari made him a legend to the tifosi, even 40 years after his death. The team's current Formula 1 star Charles Leclerc enjoys a similar status, and recently got behind the wheel of a very special car from the French-Canadian’s career.
How a 30cm metal wire triggered open warfare in the F1 paddock
Porpoising has become the key talking point during the 2022 Formula 1 season, as teams battle to come to terms with it. An FIA technical directive ahead of the Canadian Grand Prix and a second stay appearing on the Mercedes cars only served to create a bigger debate and raise tensions further
Does Max Verstappen have any weaknesses left?
Having extended his Formula 1 points lead with victory in Canada, Max Verstappen has raised his game further following his 2021 title triumph. Even on the days where Red Bull appears to be second best to Ferrari, Verstappen is getting the most out of the car in each race. So, does he have any weaknesses that his title rivals can exploit?
How F1's future fuels can shape the automotive sector
In 2026, Formula 1 plans to make the switch to a fully sustainable fuel, as the greater automotive world considers its own alternative propulsion methods. Biogasoline and e-fuels both have merit as 'drop-in' fuels but, equally, both have their shortcomings...
The breakthrough behind Sainz's best weekend of F1 2022 so far
OPINION: Carlos Sainz came close to winning in Monaco but needed that race’s specific circumstances for his shot at a maiden Formula 1 victory to appear. Last weekend in Canada, he led the line for Ferrari in Charles Leclerc’s absence from the front. And there’s a key reason why Sainz has turned his 2022 form around
Why “faster” Ferrari couldn’t beat Red Bull in Canadian GP
On paper the Canadian Grand Prix will go down as Max Verstappen’s latest triumph, fending off late pressure from Carlos Sainz to extend his Formula 1 world championship lead. But as safety car periods, virtual and real, shook up the race Ferrari demonstrated it can take the fight to Red Bull after recent failures.
Canadian Grand Prix Driver Ratings 2022
Plenty of high scores but just a single perfect 10 from the first Montreal race in three years, as Max Verstappen fended off late pressure from Carlos Sainz. Here’s Autosport’s assessment on the Formula 1 drivers from the Canadian Grand Prix