News that Sebastian Vettel has agreed to join Aston Martin Racing has been welcomed by his fans and the broader F1 community.
The four-time World Champion has stressed that he still has more to give and is only staying in Formula One because he believes the team will eventually produce a car capable of fighting for Grand Prix wins and podiums.
READ: Will Sergio Perez Join Red Bull Or Haas In 2021?
Ideally, I would have liked to see Vettel back in a Red Bull as it would allow us to see how he stacks up against Max Verstappen, plus it’d be nice for him to cap off his F1 career with the team he won his four World Championships with.
However, all things considered, Aston Martin Racing is the perfect option for him at this stage of his career.
And, giving Vettel a seat also makes a lot of sense for Aston Martin.
From Sebastian Vettel’s perspective, joining the Silverstone-based outfit puts him in a relatively strong position, both in the short-run and the long-run.
With the technical regulations remaining fairly stable into 2021, the car Vettel will be driving next year – which will essentially be an evolution of Racing Point’s RP20, often referred to as the “Pink Mercedes” – will be one of the strongest cars on the grid and is likely to be faster than the Ferrari on quite a few circuits.
As for 2022 and beyond, Aston Martin will benefit from Formula One’s new budget cap, fairer distribution of prize money, and significant changes to the technical regulations.
This will provide the team with a golden opportunity to leap up the order and just maybe give Vettel a platform to mount a challenge for his fifth Formula One crown.
Additionally, having Lance Stroll as his team-mate is an extra positive, as he’s unlikely to put the German under pressure on a consistent basis, so he shouldn’t end up pushing beyond the limit and making mistakes.
More than anything, I think Vettel will benefit from a fresh start and an escape from the toxic situation at Ferrari – but this is by no means an advantage that’s exclusive to Aston Martin.
Is Vettel Right For Aston Martin?
Vettel’s stock in Formula One has unquestionably fallen in recent years, with younger team-mate Charles Leclerc often outperforming him and the German becoming increasingly spin-prone.
So, unsurprisingly, there are some critics who question if he’s the best choice for Aston Martin.
Some even question if they would have been better off retaining Sergio Perez.
In my opinion, despite his recent mistakes, I think it’s hard to argue that Vettel isn’t still one of the best drivers in Formula One.
Furthermore, his experience in competing at the very front of the field and winning four World Championships should help the team develop their package.
Vettel is also a very strong signing for the brand from a marketing perspective, as Germany is a very important market for Aston Martin, only second to the UK by sales volume.
Ultimately, it’s impossible to accurately predict what Sebastian Vettel and Aston Martin Racing will achieve together.
We’ve all seen how quickly things soured at Ferrari, but it would certainly be good for the sport if the partnership goes well and Aston Martin are able to mount a challenge against Formula One’s frontrunners.