Helmut Marko On Sebastian Vettel: Should Have Taken The Year Off In 2021!

News coming in from the world of F1 is that the last time Helmut Marko didn’t say anything strange or rather cold about a past or serving Formula 1 driver, there was no Formula 1 at all!

But hey, take a chill pill! Why take offence to a statement on someone who doesn’t think for a tiny fraction of as second before passing a verdict a remark that’s usually borderline offensive whether on a past, current and who knows, maybe even forthcoming drivers?

Fact is that not long after calling Yuki Tsunoda a young diamond who had to be spared ‘too many cuts’ (before he’d be promoted to Red Bull), a kind assessment of a fantastic talent, Red Bull’s Helmut Marko has stated something interesting that would certainly invite a response from Sebastian Vettel fans.

His new target, it could be said in no uncertain terms, is former four-time world champion Sebastian Vettel, who in signing up with the Aston Martin F1 team, got a new lease of life in the sport.

So the question is- what was it that Austrian Helmut Marko reserved on none other than Sebastian Vettel?

Stating in no uncertain terms his true feeling on the 2013 Formula 1 world champion, Marko suggested that Sebastian Vettel should have taken a year off in the current season, i.e., the 2021 F1 world championship instead of signing with Aston Martin.

Here’s his exact statement offered to a German publication focusing on racing:

“I was of the opinion, I told you that too, that he should take a year off, sort himself out, ask himself what he wants.

I believe that a lot is possible within Formula 1 next year. He didn’t do that. Now he sits in the Aston Martin, which of course suffers similar to the Mercedes [with low rake].

They are very similar cars. And this race was far from being the one that could have brought relief.”

In some ways, those who do not believe in Sebastian Vettel anymore and think of his powers to be fading somewhat might not exactly hold an opposite view to what Marko holds of the German racer, especially since the former Red Bull driver didn’t deliver a belter of a race at the Bahrain-bound season-opener.

In being knocked out in Q1, therefore, failing to make it to Q2 before ultimately falling comfortably outside of top ten, Sebastian Vettel failed to open his account upon his maiden outing with the new team.

On the other hand, his teammate Lance Stroll, eleven years younger to the noted Heppenheim-born driver, opened his account following a fighting P10 drive for Aston Martin.

Though, all of that said, on his part, Vettel choosing to remain in Formula 1 might have something to do with him wanting to maximise his chances whilst he still has age on his hands.

It’s not always been the easiest of comebacks for even the most astounding of F1 talents who’ve chosen to stay out of the turf for a bit only to return to face what are stern challenges.

For instance, upon his widely-followed F1 comeback, the king of racing Michael Schumacher, also Vettel’s idol, failed to fire and finished behind German compatriot Nico Rosberg for Mercedes (2012 season).

Also Read: “Godspeed!”: A Salutation Of Ayrton Senna!

That told, what appears to be causing a glitch for Aston Martin where Bahrain was concerned was the trouble with downforce in the car. The machine trailed frontrunners Mercedes by over a second. Though Vettel believes in the ‘potential of the car’ as also in the ‘team’s spirit’ with the unit determined to forge a fine restart in its F1 journey despite contesting with limited resources, as told to Autosport in a previous interview.