'Vettel has lost his mojo and can't wait to transfer to Aston Martin'

Sebastian Vettel is underperforming compared to Charles Leclerc this year, but this is largely due to the car being worthless by top team standards. With his departure from the Scuderia at the end of this year, it also looks as if Vettel is doing well and just finishing his season.

Season may be over soon

Jolyon Palmer makes that analysis in his new column for the BBC. "Next season can't come soon enough for Vettel. Ferrari have a poor car this season and the four-time champion has never looked comfortable in it." Leclerc can clearly deal with that better, because he has accumulated quite a few points on several occasions.

That was no different in Russia, where the Monegask finished sixth after starting in eleventh place. "In contrast, Vettel had another weekend to forget. He crashed in qualifying while trying to make up a 0.4-second deficit to Leclerc, and then never made an impact in the Grand Prix after a long first stint."

No confidence in the strategists

"There has been some struggles between Vettel and team principal Mattia Binotto all season long since it was confirmed Vettel hadn't retained his drive. Vettel doesn't seem to trust the Ferrari strategists at all this year - and this is not the first season in which that has been apparent. He is debating and often overruling some of their in-race calls."

This has indeed happened several times, so there seems to be some friction. Every time Ferrari and Vettel say there is nothing wrong, but the poor performance of the German has to come from somewhere, of course. Of course it is largely due to his car, but Leclerc proves that something is possible with it.

"But more importantly he seems to have lost his usual mojo for racing and performance. It almost looks as if he is seeing out this year in a holding pattern", but that doesn't mean anything for the future, says Palmer. Next year will be better at Racing Point. "I'm sure a fresh challenge at Aston Martin will reinvigorate Vettel and he probably can't wait for it to come around already."