I have to do better in 2020, concedes Vettel

After a chaotic second half of the 2018 season, Sebastian Vettel knew he was expected to turn the corner this season and the least we can say is that the pilot Ferrari will not have silenced the doubts which are accumulating over his performances. Quite the contrary. 

Apart from a few rare flashes – his pole positions in Montreal and Suzuka, his victory in Singapore, his comeback at Hockenheim – the quadruple world champion generally disappointed in 2019, notably being guilty of errors on the track that were difficult to explain.

He also saw his young teammate Charles Leclerc little by little take power on the track and finished 24 points behind the Monegasque in the championship. His 5th place marks his worst final ranking since he played for Maranello in 2015. 

« We didn't deliver the season we hoped for, period, commented Vettel on the microphone of Sky Sports on the evening of the last Grand Prix of the season in Abu Dhabi. I think the reasons for this poor performance are clear, as are the lessons to be learned. 

We have to do better collectively and I think I have to do better individually. It wasn't a great year for me. However, it's not as bad as it might seem from the outside. It was a series of small things that contributed to the final result. 

But I'm the first to look in the mirror. If I'm honest, I know I can do better and that will be the goal next year. We must progress and produce a better car as well to be able to compete with Mercedes ». 

Words which strangely resemble the end-of-season analyzes that Vettel has been able to make in recent years. The winter is likely to be long for the four-time German world champion, who is visibly tired from a trying 2019 campaign and is reaching the end of his contract at Maranello next year.