In the three years that India hosted a Grand Prix, only one man won the races. Sebastian Vettel was untouchable as he stormed his Red Bull to four consecutive World Championships, his fourth crown coming at the final Indian race in 2013. As he performed celebratory donuts on the smashing Buddh International Circuit racetrack, the German looked to be in a different league. Fernando Alonso had won two titles, Lewis Hamilton and Kimi Raikkonen had one apiece. Vettel, the youngest of the lot, had four, and was hammering on history’s door with a battering ram.
Since then, Vettel has flown close to the championship but seen his (non-Red Bull) wings singed each time. Over at Ferrari, where he has driven since 2015, he has been given an unquestioned number one status and a run of the field. It is his car that will get the upgrades first, his car that will dictate pit-stop strategy, his car that will make the call.
It makes complete sense from a Ferrari point of view. The number one tag worked for Vettel’s idol Michael Schumacher, who ran a well-oiled machine with wingmen giving him support, and Hamilton, his greatest rival, who likes his team belonging to him. Now, after being overhauled in the title race by Hamilton -- a situation that was unthinkable back in 2013 -- we must question if that approach works for Vettel.
Vettel is the kind of racer who relishes beating his partner. When paired with Mark Webber at Red Bull, there were times Webber was his only competition as well as times when Vettel -- rather like the Max Verstappen we see today -- would rebel defiantly against team instructions and continue to do his own thing, hungrily chasing down wins like an addict. He started at Ferrari by proudly outqualifying Raikkonen and bringing the fight to Mercedes. While a Ferrari champion, Raikkonen wasn’t anywhere near his best at the time, and Vettel became the great scarlet hope with the Finn constantly asked to race in second-fiddle.
{{/usCountry}}Vettel is the kind of racer who relishes beating his partner. When paired with Mark Webber at Red Bull, there were times Webber was his only competition as well as times when Vettel -- rather like the Max Verstappen we see today -- would rebel defiantly against team instructions and continue to do his own thing, hungrily chasing down wins like an addict. He started at Ferrari by proudly outqualifying Raikkonen and bringing the fight to Mercedes. While a Ferrari champion, Raikkonen wasn’t anywhere near his best at the time, and Vettel became the great scarlet hope with the Finn constantly asked to race in second-fiddle.
{{/usCountry}}It’s not working, and Raikkonen -- who has scored more points than Vettel in the last three Grand Prix — must be glad to leave this dynamic behind as he goes to Sauber next year.
Vettel is a phenomenal driver, and an underrated one, but he needs a teammate who will not just keep him on his toes but threaten to cut them off. He needs somebody good enough to push him into brilliance. If the 21-year-old Monegasque driver Charles LeClerc can steal a march and outscore Vettel in the first couple of races at Ferrari this year, it might be just the shove Sebastian needs.
So go on, LeClerc. Make Vettel great again.
(Raja Sen is a film critic and one of India’s longest-running Formula One columnists. Views personal)