Aston Martin’s Sebastian Vettel has said he would love Haas’ Mick Schumacher to join Ferrari despite the four-time world champion’s own struggles with the Scuderia.
Vettel won 14 races with the Maranello-based team, but the dream championship in red failed to materialise for the German.
Ferrari had a competitive car in 2017 and 2018, but a combination of mistakes from Vettel and Mercedes out-developing them resulted in them failing to win the title.
Asked if he would want his compatriot and good friend Mick Schumacher to join the team, Vettel was unreserved in his positivity.
“Yes, absolutely,” he said. “Even though I didn’t have any great success there. But I still had some good years.
“And the brand will always be something special. In any case, I wouldn’t advise him against it because of the few things that didn’t work out so well for me.”
READ: ‘Very special’: Vettel and Schumacher excited to be team-mates
The 34-year-old said that too much emphasis gets put on the negative aspects of a racing driver’s career, and that he looks back fondly on his days in red.
“People tend to always see the glass half empty in memories. I prefer to see it half full and the positive outweighs the negative. Too much grumbling is misplaced, because all in all, we Formula 1 drivers are all doing very well.”
Mick Schumacher is the son of seven-time world champion Michael, who won five of his championships with the Maranello outfit.
In the same interview, Vettel said he sees similarities between Mick and his father.
“Of course, the bond through Michael is there. But Mick comes from a very good family.
“He’s a very sensible, well-mannered young man who is now ready to go his own way. He’s doing that very well. His work ethic reminds me of his father.”
Vettel, who joined Aston Martin from Ferrari ahead of the 2021 season, hopes that Schumacher is soon put into a more competitive car than the Haas that finished last in the Constructors’ Championship this year.
“I sincerely wish him a car with which he can make more of a mark next year. But I am more a friend than someone who feels responsibility.”
The four-time champion is also more-than-happy to share his experience with Schumacher as a friend.
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“You are always there for friends. That’s why I have zero competitive thoughts towards him and am happy to pass on my experience.”
In that vein, Vettel maintains that he has no interest in withholding information from team-mates.
“I’m not the type who weighs everything up in a paranoid way anyway, in order to have my own advantages and play games. It also doesn’t make sense to me to withhold certain things from teammates. I [would] rather see the big picture, that we want to progress as a team. Today we are able to see everything transparently through data anyway.”
Vettel will partner Schumacher at the Race of Champions in Sweden in February. The two Germans have expressed their excitement to be competing in the event together, after finishing second in the 2019 Race of Champions in Mexico.
Specifically, the Aston Martin driver said he expects it to be a “huge challenge” but equally a lot of fun.
“I think it will be a huge challenge, heading into Scandinavia, in the winter. But I think it’s also going to be great fun, and that’s the the reason [for taking part],” Vettel said.
“That’s what most of my memories are about, it’s about fun on track and also off track that I shared with Michael.”
Both drivers will continue to race with their respective teams in Formula 1 in 2022.
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