“The ogre” Sebastian Vettel, from “ego number 1” to “killer”

By overtaking his teammate Mark Webber and ignoring the instructions of his team, to go win at Sepang in Malaysia, Sebastian Vettel caused a lot of reaction in the sphere of Formula 1. While many are very critical, some defend it.

For the German newspaper Der Spiegel Sebastian Vettel is now “ego number 1”. Still in Germany, Bild estimates that “Vettel seemed surprised by his own brutality” before comparing him, as many have done elsewhere, with the seven-time world champion: “More and more, he reminds us of his idol, Michael Schumacher, who was loved and hated, and Vettel is following that path. » In Great Britain, Speed ​​Week estimates that the driver Red Bull did “the right thing as a winner, but not as an athlete”. “Apart from a little slap on the wrist, the Red Bull boss won't be able to do much against his favorite pilot », writes the Daily Mirror for its part.

Many former F1 drivers reacted. To start with John Watson who didn't pull any punches. For the Briton, formerly of McLaren, Red Bull should completely suspend Vettel for a race. “The only way to make him aware is to tell him: “Are you staying on the sidelines for the duration of a race? », he announced on the BBC microphone. “I know that if other drivers in other teams had not respected a team instruction, then they would be suspended or even fired”.

For the Austrian Alex Wurz, the maneuver of the triple world champion will not have that much impact: “In the end he clarified his unofficial status as number 1 driver. So that doesn’t change anything”. “It is the true character of Sebastian Vettel which has just been revealed”, for his part estimated patrick tambay on RMC Sport. Apart from his car, the German would be " smiling " et “very friendly”, “but as soon as he puts on his helmet, he becomes a warrior, an ogre”, detailed the former resident Ferrari.

David Coulthard, himself a former Red Bull driver, indicated for his part that « Mark Webber had earned the right to victory in Malaysia, there is no doubt " but that “when?”a pilot apologizes for what he did, we must accept them ». “What else can you expect him to say?” », asked the Scottish pilot. “He is still not going to tell you that he did things well, that he is more important than the team, that he has no regrets and that he will do the same thing next time. »

Only the former employer of the three-time world champion at Toro Rosso, Gerhard berger, clearly defended the German prodigy. “To win the world championship three or four times, you have to be very selfish” explained the Austrian. “These boys have such killer instincts. They cannot follow their brains but only what their instincts tell them. No one, no teammate or no team boss, will change that.”