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Vettel – a historic return to the US? (6 posts)

Topic tags: 100 GPs, USA, Vettel

Viewing post 1 to 6 (6 total posts)

magon4 said 7 months ago:

Ok, let’s take a break from the whole Alonso, Vettel, Hamilton comparison. It seems that the most vocal members of this community would put the German in 3rd out of the conceived Top 3 in Formula today.
Still, it is a great achievement for young Sebastian Vettel. He is about to drive his 100th Grand Prix.
His first racing weekend was in the USA. To imagine that he is coming back to the country where it all started for him and can become a 3-time World Champion after only 100 GPs is impressive, to say the least.
It might not put him on the top of today’s F1 drivers, but who would have thought?
I’m glad he is in F1, and I hope he stays for many years to come. Being Top 3 is not bad, either. He still has some time to climb up those last stairs and prove himself as one of the all-time greats.

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Tomsk said 7 months ago:

Staggering to think he could pretty much match Jackie Stewart’s record of 3 championships in 99 GPs. Didn’t think that was possible these days (seasons are longer, so it takes longer for drivers to work their way up and earn their chance to drive a winning car). It would be even more of a shock if he retired at the end of this season, as Stewart did…

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raymondu999 said 7 months ago:

@tomsk – not to mention that nowadays 99 GPs span more seasons than back then.

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Mads said 7 months ago:

@raymondu999
I don’t know if I just misunderstand your comment, but haven’t you got it the wrong way around?

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raymondu999 said 7 months ago:

@mads I did indeed!

I meant that Vettel did 100 races in 5.5 seasons, JYS did it in 9 seasons.

It was in extension to Tomsk’s point – that basically the record of 3 titles in 99 races was pretty much matched, although it means 3 titles in 5.5 seasons versus 3 titles in 9 seasons.

The numbers really put things into very weird perspective – Vettel, if he successfully takes the 2012 crown, will have spent more than half of his F1 career as world champion – and had the double diffuser been disallowed in 2009, he could be a 4-time champion in 5.5 seasons. The numbers, when viewed as numbers alone – are absolutely surreal.

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Karthikeyan said 7 months ago:

– Vettels response from the first press conference
Frederic Ferret – L’Equipe) Sebastian, do you remember your first grand prix in America, and what sort of memories do you have?

SV: I remember my first race obviously. I think you can’t forget. There are some positives, some negatives. I didn’t have the best start, and not the best first corner but then it was quite an interesting race. And obviously a big challenge at the end of the race. I was physically destroyed, I remember that as well. And I knew that I had a lot to do – but I knew as well that’s what I want to do in the future. Sitting here 100 races later is quite crazy in a way. I think if the number gives you anything, it’s just that you don’t realise how quickly time goes by. I think it’s always like that when you do something you enjoy a lot. You don’t count the days and the months and the years going by. Looking back now it doesn’t seem a long time ago but looking on the calendar it’s five years ago. So… yeah.

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