'Ferrari left Vettel to fight on his own'

Former F1 driver Luciano Burti believes that Ferrari let Sebastian Vettel down in their 2018 title challenge against Mercedes and Lewis Hamilton. The German had looked in great form at the beginning of the year but both driver and constructor appeared to fall apart in the second phase of the season.

Speaking on the Autosport Podcast, Burti explained that the mistakes Vettel made throughout the 2018 season may have been down to a lack of support from the team and it left Vettel high and dry to fight by himself.

“It was a really tiny mistake, which happens, and he was unlucky it happened in the wrong time and the wrong place and had a big consequence," Burti said.

“From then, I really think that someone like Jean Todt would give him good feedback. I think Vettel felt maybe on his own to fight back from his mistake.

“Once you have the pressure, if you say as a racing driver ‘I cannot make a mistake on the next lap or the next corner’ you make a mistake. Once I think about it, that’s it. I think that’s what happened to him.

“Although he’s a great champion, he’s too human and when you have those feelings, it doesn’t do you any good.

“He was on his own and someone like Jean would have made the difference to put him back on track because it’s not normal to see a four-times champion to make so many mistakes, and silly mistakes sometimes.”

Ferrari will be hoping they can right their wrongs from last season and achieve their first world championship since Kimi Raikkonen's triumph in 2007.