Vettel finally on the right track? "That was really sad to see"

Sebastian Vettel has had a rather difficult year. Relatively early on in the 2020 season it was announced that he had been sidelined by Ferrari and disappointing performance from the red car meant that the four-time champion couldn't do much. His move to Aston Martin was accompanied by some difficult racing at the start of the season, but now a turnaround may have been achieved.

He needed that feeling

The German driver became 'driver of the day' in Monaco and crossed the finish line in fifth place, which is his best performance in a very long time. This will have given the driver a good sense of achievement and that may be exactly what the German needs to push again. After all, he's still got the hang of it, or at least that's what former F1 driver Marc Surer believes.

In a video analysis of Formel1.de Surer says, "He really needed that sense of accomplishment. He's been riding around in the back for a year. That was really sad to see. Now, with a result like this, where he also controlled his teammate all weekend, I think the knot has been tied."

One with the car

Monaco is a tricky circuit because a small mistake can be disastrous. Just look at Charles Leclerc who saw a potential victory go up in smoke. To get the best out of Monaco you have to operate at the cutting edge and confidence in your car is crucial here. This is something Vettel clearly showed, as Surer continued, "In Monaco you can only be fast if you are one with the car."

And that has always been Vettel's problem. The car has to fit him, because adapting himself to a car that doesn't suit him is his weakness, Surer analyses. "He needs the car to suit him. He can't adapt to every car. I think that's his weakness. But on the other hand, it's also his strength if the car really suits him. Then it's hard to beat him."

With the good performance in Monaco, Vettel has shown his ability. Whether this is really a turning point, will become clear in the coming races. What is clear is that Vettel now feels more comfortable in the Aston Martin, which is key to success.