This season has unquestionably been a difficult one for Sebastian Vettel, with him often trailing Ferrari team-mate Charles Leclerc and relations with the Scuderia clearly breaking down at certain points this year.
However, for many people, his strong performance at Istanbul last weekend shows that he is still a force to be reckoned with and could thrive at Aston Martin Racing.
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However, ex-F1 driver Felipe Massa still believes that “Vettel’s moment is over” and thinks Ferrari were right to axe him.
“It is a very difficult moment for Ferrari. It is sad to see them like this, with all the problems they are having this year,” Massa said in a recent interview with AS.
“Ferrari is a team that has an obligation to be competitive and when it is not, it is a very serious thing, not only for the fans but also for the people who work within the team.
“I have also had difficult years, in which the car was not competitive, but not like this year. I hope that the Ferrari situation will change soon, not for now, but for the next few years. It must be recognised that it is a very serious problem,” the Brazilian added.
“The car is the most important thing. Without a competitive car, you cannot win and that does not depend on the drivers.
“On the other hand, I think Sebastian’s moment is over, because he is not doing the job that one expects from a four-time World Champion and I think the team should make a change.
“It is not the best moment for Sebastian, he thinks that he is not being treated well and for the team, it is not good to have a driver in this situation, without being competitive.”
Continuing, he said he believes that the German’s “departure was the best solution for both of them” and added that he thinks Ferrari will have a strong line-up next season.
“I think that Sainz will be competitive. He already showed his speed when he debuted in Formula 1, but especially in the last two years, getting good results with McLaren and I think he can work well.
“Charles is in a great moment, it will not be easy for Sainz, but he can do a great job and be strong with Ferrari,” Massa added.
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