Sebastian Vettel: "Not frustrated" at Ferrari but "I've been in a happier place"

Ferrari

Vettel: "Not frustrated" at Ferrari but "I've been in a happier place"

Sebastian Vettel is 29-points behind team-mate Charles Leclerc

Sam Hall

Thursday 20 August 2020 09:30

Sebastian Vettel has endured a testing start to his final campaign with the Ferrari Formula 1 team but insists he is not growing frustrated by his problematic year.

Ahead of the Spanish Grand Prix, Vettel was scrutinised over the seemingly deteriorating relationship between himself and the Ferrari team.

Although unwilling to give labels such as best or worst to certain races or seasons, aside from his first full season of grand prix racing in an outdated Toro Rosso car in 2008, the 2020 season is statistically worst opening to a campaign ever.

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Yet Vettel claimed: “[I'm] Not frustrated. As I’ve said, I’ve been in a happier place. I love obviously fighting at the front.

"I love winning and feeling that you can obviously achieve great results, and that we haven’t done yet.

“It will be difficult this year with the package that we have but I think Charles has proven that still you can do good races and obviously if you make sure you are in a good position, you are also in the right position to benefit is enduring hi from it and then you can still get a podium."

“I think this is how it always has worked and many times I have found myself on the better side. Now lately, not so much but then again it’s been two weeks and then prior to that it’s been quite straightforward.

“Overall, if you sum it up, it’s been not the best season start that I have ever had, but I wouldn’t go as far as frustration.”

As for the relationship between man and team, Vettel rejected the notion that the atmosphere within the garage is tense, countering: “I don’t agree with the statement. I think we are trying to do everything we can.

"Obviously, it’s never relaxed if things don’t go your way or they go wrong, so naturally I think if you judge just the emotions right after the race or during the race then I don’t think that’s a fair reflection of what is going on. Hence why I would tend to disagree."

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