Sebastian Vettel says he’s “not interested” in trying to prove a point to his critics who have written him off after a difficult final year at Ferrari.
Vettel’s 2020 campaign was his worst showing since his debut Formula 1 season in 2007, finishing 13th in the drivers’ standings with just one podium finish.
The German was informed by Ferrari prior to the start of last season he wouldn’t be retained, leading to him signing a multi-year deal with Aston Martin.
Having won four world titles on the bounce with Red Bull at the start of the 2010s, questions were asked about whether Vettel was past his best after a tough year at Ferrari.
Speaking after the launch of Aston Martin’s 2021 car, Vettel was clear he’s not on a mission to make a point to his critics, insisting he’s not bothered about how people view him.
“I’m not interested in what people think,” Vettel said, as quoted by Motorsport.com.
“It’s more about making a point to the team, to myself, rather than the people. Our world is moving very fast, and the world has to move on fast and quickly, which is healthy and good.
“Otherwise you will always be stuck in the past and you will still say Juan Manuel Fangio is the lord and saviour of all racing drivers. No doubt he was very, very special. But if you ask a 15-year-old now who is Juan Manuel Fangio, I don’t think they know.
“That’s good. Time will move on. And especially nowadays, probably Fangio had a longer legacy than any one of us will ever have, independent of the amount of wins and so on. And that’s good.
“It’s good to move forward and to move on. So I’m pretty sure that when I say goodbye to Formula 1, I will be forgotten very quickly, and that’s OK. I think that’s healthy.
“So that’s why I’m also not too bothered about proving a point to people, and really just focusing on my own bit, which is right in front of me is myself.”
Aston Martin believes it can help steer Vettel back on the right path, saying the AMR21 can be more tailored to his driving style.
The team revealed it has set out a five-year plan where it hopes to be competing for world championships.
Asked if he expects to have a role in the project for that period of time and have a fifth drivers’ crown in him, Vettel replied: “I think I have, obviously I’m not too old.
“There’s now older drivers joining the grid, rather than younger drivers. I don’t think it’s an age thing, I think it’s a question of do you have the car and the team around you?
“I think it’s in me. It’s been in me and was probably a big relief, winning the world championship, knowing that you can do it. Since then, I don’t really see why that’s not there any more.
“Age-wise, I think I still have a long time in me, but in all honesty, it depends a little bit on the circumstances of how things are going in the near future.”
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