Sebastian Vettel reacts to Aston Martin's dramatic upturn in performance

Sebastian Vettel sent a classy message to his former Formula One team Aston Martin following their brilliant start to the season.

Fernando Alonso finished third in the first two races of 2023, with teammate Lance Stroll coming sixth in Bahrain though he retired with engine issues in Saudi Arabia.

And while Red Bull look set to dominate, these results have put Aston Martin very much in the race for best of the rest, with the team currently second in the standings, level on points with Mercedes and ahead of Ferrari.

It is a remarkable upturn in performance for the team that finished seventh in the last two seasons, picking up just one podium in that time – courtesy of Vettel at Azerbaijan 2021.

The four-time world champion joined the team that year but would unexpectedly announce his retirement the following season, bringing an end to the German’s highly successful career.

Squabbling around the midfield was not the ending Vettel would have wanted and one would not begrudge him for being a little jealous that his team is doing so well just months after he left.

But it seems the 35-year-old has no hard feelings or regrets with Aston Martin’s team principal Mike Krack revealing: ‘We have been in touch. We were in touch for the New Year, obviously.

‘But then also Sebastian was Sebastian-like, congratulating us, very gentleman-like, after our first podium in Bahrain.

‘I always said to him this is also your merit, because he brought us really one step up over the previous two years. He brought us up in a lot of areas, where we have learned a lot and progressed a lot.

‘He has certainly [played] his part in where we are now. But he’s comfortable with that; he was not in any kind of regretting [frame of mind] or whatever, because he was very conscious about his decision when he made it.

‘I think the respect between himself and the team, or the respect between himself and myself, [was] really shown by this great moment of congratulating us. That was really, really appreciated and also I relayed it to the whole team.’

It was rumored that Vettel could have made a remarkable comeback at the start of this season as cover for Stroll who had injured his wrist ahead of testing but the team later announced that reserve driver Felipe Drugovich would take the Canadian’s place if he was unfit to race.

Krack also revealed just how close Vettel was to returning, admitting that Aston Martin were ‘100% tempted’ to get him back into the cockpit.

‘But we didn’t do it, because we have such a high respect for Sebastian and his decision that he made at the time.

‘I think it would not have been correct even to ask. We wanted to respect the way he was, and we didn’t want to put him in any difficult position.’

The F1 season continues this weekend with the Australian Grand Prix.

For more stories like this, check our sport page.

Follow Metro Sport for the latest news onFacebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Source: Read Full Article