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SEBASTIAN VETTEL: I can deal with being unpopular but Brits booing me wasn't fair
By JONATHAN MCEVOY

PUBLISHED: 16:30 EST, 4 September 2013 | UPDATED: 17:11 EST, 4 September 2013

Zitat

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Down in a garage at the foot of Eau Rouge - the fabled steepling right-hander at Belgium's Spa-Francorchamps circuit - Sebastian Vettel is talking fast and smiling easily.

He is in jeans and hoodie, perched on a sofa, and looking so boyish for his 26 years that he could be a gap-year student doing India on a handful of rupees a day.

But he is Formula One world champion for the third consecutive time and the possessor of around £50million in earnings. Few modern sportsmen of his stature wear their glory more lightly.


Champagne moment: Sebastian Vettel is the favourite to win his fourth consecutive world title

Indeed, he is the same kid I remember from an evening in the BMW motorhome when he was finding his way in grand prix racing. He came over to talk to me, a colleague from the Daily Express and a much-loved Formula One figure, press officer Ann Bradshaw, who clearly doted on the German driver like a mother.

While she called up the food, he (a big fan of British comedy shows and Cockney rhyming slang) stopped to chat and tell us about his new favourite English world: kerfuffle.

Many sportsmen are approachable when relatively unknown, only to grow wary or reluctant or rude once they have scaled the peaks of their profession. Not so Vettel, the most decorated driver of his generation - the youngest single, double and triple world champion.


Winner: Vettel, who tasted victory last time out in Belgium, is 48 points clear at the summit of the championship

Yet a mythology has built, portraying Vettel as a pantomime villain at best or unlovable automaton at worst. Others say he is flattered by being in the dominant, Adrian Newey-designed car.

Even in Germany some argue he is not a man of the people the way Michael Schumacher was. The old master, the theory goes, would have been, say, a mechanic if he had not been the world's most successful racer, whereas Vettel comes from a slightly richer family and is more cerebral.

In Britain, the anti-Vettel feeling has occasionally been stronger. When he retired from this year's British Grand Prix he was shamefully booed by a number of the crowd. Why? He is German and old enmities die hard. He is so successful he breeds resentment for no better reason. Does it hurt him?


Unhappy: Vettel was jeered by the British crowd following his retirement from the lead of the race


'It's normal,' he says, smiling, the afternoon after he cruised to victory at the Belgian Grand Prix. 'I am very happy. I obviously would not swap with anybody.

'There are situations or stories where you want to tell people the truth as you see it. You learn to deal with the fact some think what they want. If it reaches the point where it takes your attention away from your racing then it has got in the way.'

Has that ever happened? 'No.' But was the reaction at Silverstone surprising? 'Yes. I didn't understand it. I had not done anything to make them do it. I went up on to the stage later for the post-race concert and got booed again. I took my camera out and said, "If you are going to boo me at least do it properly". I tried to make a laugh out of it.

'But you don't like it when people boo. Obviously in the British Grand Prix if I am leading and they want a British driver to win they might not like it, which is fair, but booing, I don't think that is fair. If one starts booing, others join in. I don't think they were all wanting to boo per se; it was a chain reaction, so you shouldn't get too upset by that.'


Dream team: Christian Horner and Adrian Newey have helped Vettel realise incredible success at Red Bull


No 1: The 26-year-old is already being tipped to surpass Michael Schumacher's record of seven world titles

Part of the ill-feeling was perhaps caused by Vettel's lowest moment as a sportsman: when he ignored team orders and overtook Mark Webber to win the Malaysian Grand Prix in March.

He says: 'The one thing I regret is that I put myself above the team. I apologised. Apart from that I am racing - and I am not apologising for that.'

But is Vettel given favourable treatment at Red Bull? 'I am at the source to judge that it isn't true. Mark and I have the same car and the same chance to win.' So why does Webber allege otherwise? 'Everybody chooses his path.'

It is a diplomatic response dripping with feeling. Thankfully for Red Bull's management, Vettel's troubled dynamic with Webber has just eight races to run - the first on Sunday in Italy - before the older man leaves Formula One to be replaced by another Australian, Daniel Ricciardo.


Strained relationship: Mark Webber and Red Bull team-mate Vettel do not see eye-to-eye

Despite the criticism, Vettel, speaking at his unveiling as a Braun ambassador, has won avid admirers. No less than Sir Stirling Moss has drawn comparisons with his hero Juan Manuel Fangio. While Vettel's prowess is clear - he has won 31 of his 112 races - his down-to-earth nature is almost equally remarkable. His friends are mostly from school and his girlfriend Hanna, whom he protects from media exposure, is his school sweetheart. He still goes to watch football with his pals, having a beer and a sausage.

'Typical German,' he says with a laugh. 'I give them s*** and they give me s***. It is normal - a nice break from the track.'

He has no manager, though Bernie Ecclestone, with whom he plays backgammon, is a close adviser after Vettel sought him out as a novice. He discusses his own contracts, with a lawyer in the background to tie up loose ends.

'Sebastian has never changed,' sagacious Red Bull team principal Christian Horner said. 'He brings chocolates for the receptionist every time he visits the factory.'

Vettel lives on a farm between Zurich and Lake Constance, eschewing the glitz of Monaco for rural Switzerland. It is a contrast to the world of Lewis Hamilton, the Briton supposed to vie with Fernando Alonso for the title of driver of his generation before Vettel and Red Bull overtook them.

'Lately, I have got on very well with Lewis,' said Vettel. 'He has a different lifestyle, it is fair to say that. I am not on Facebook. I am not on Twitter. I choose the farm, way outside the city. For him, maybe the city and some parties is what he likes. I don't judge him.


Mutual respect: Vettel says he is enjoying a good relationship with British driver Lewis Hamilton

'I think it is important to be who I am. The moment you try to be someone else it backfires. If someone, Lewis for example, likes to live a certain life, in the celebrity world, it is the best way he will recover, strange as it sounds. It probably allows him to perform at his optimum.'

Vettel, so superstitious he not only carries two silver coins in his socks but once became so obsessed with black cats crossing the road in front of him he kept detouring half an hour on his way home, is not counting the expected fourth world title as already won. His lead of 46 points is commanding but not impregnable.

If he wins No 4, he knows his drink of choice: a Jager Bomb, or several. This mixture of Jagermeister and Red Bull has been the team's tipple after the closing race in Brazil over the last couple of years.

'They were very numerous,' he said. 'We had a good reason.'

Let us hope the boo-boys will learn not to begrudge this modest, grounded and unflashy champion another taste of success.

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Always great to see you, Ish! . How is teaching?!

It would be amazing to see them two in equal machinery one day.. They are the future of F1..

Great news about the teaching! t" title="hat" /> I hope you find a job soon " title="holy" />

You are definitely correct. I didn't expect Raikkonen and Alonso in the same team either. But Ferrari need to up their game somehow to answer the domination of Red Bull and Vettel. Desperate times call for drastic change. And that change has come in hiring two "roosters" and strengthening the technical team (James Allison, Dirk de Beer).

Unless vettel and Hamilton have some stiff competition later in their careers, it's not likely we will see them team up. But in F1: you can never say never " title="" />

" title="ty" /> Ja. It's nice to see him outside of the track and the paddock. h" title="hih" />

He doesn't say much about Hannah. Has she been to any GPs lately? " title="dunno" />

Zitat von Jalumi

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But no sorrow, I think he want to keep it private.

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I get the feeling she is quite "normal" as well and prefers to stay away h" title="hih" />

another interview, in Spanish
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UhlqRC-24BY
translation: http://mscaroll.tumblr.com/post/6208089 ... adia8barca

Zitat

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Nira: Hallo Sebastian! Wie geht’s? [Hello Sebastian, How are you?]

Sebastian: Gut! Muy bien, gracias. [Good, very good, thanks]

N: Danke shön for your Spanish. [Thanks for your Spanish]

S: Thanks for your German.

N: We should do the interview in English anyway.

S: Your level of German is quite good. We should give it a try.

N: No, no, no, it’s not that good.

S: Yes, it is.

N: I’m going to show you some pictures of your helmets and you will have to guess when you used them. Try to answer quickly, please.

S: Ok.

N: The first one.

S: Austin.

N: No, it is not Austin.

S: Monza, Monza last year. I’m sorry.

N: Monza last year.That is it. Sebastian, tell me about it. What does it mean?

S: I think that at that point, we have done 50 different designs. That one was number 50.

N: That’s correct. What do you have this obsession? There are a lot of people who think that it’s better to relate a driver with a helmet.

S: Yes, I mean, I don’t disagree with them, it’s just that since I started racing in F1, along with the helmet designer, we started to ‘play’, to imagine. We had a lot of ideas and we still have quite a lot for the future. I enjoy it a lot.

N: Ok, next one.

S: That was…

N: You may identify it because of this.

S: Monza, Monza 2008, when I won for the first time.

N: You wanted to represent something from your hometown with this, didn’t you?

S: Yes, it is my hometown. It is where I come from.

N: That was your first victory in F1. Could you imagine at that point everything you have achieved since that day?

S: No, it doesn’t feel as if there have passed so much time. If you take a look at these days newspapers, it’s been only 5 years.

N: 32 victories since that date.

S: Yes, I’m starting to get old, too. It’s harder to get up in the morning and so.

N: No, you are still quite young.

S: It is ok. These few years have been wonderful. I’m still having fun and looking forward to the next race.

N: Yes, we know you are enjoying it a lot.


[Next helmet]

S: This one is from Austin.

N: Austin.

S: Yes, I’m sorry, I was a little bit distracted before.

N: Because of the wood and so.

S: Exactly.


[Next helmet]

N: This one?

S: I am not sure, I think it is Silverstone.

N: Yes.

S: Because, obviously these are my mechanics, and engineers. It is not from last season, I believe it is from 2011

N: Yes.

S: Because the last year one had something special because of the Olympic Games and London.

N: This is easy

S: This is Silverstone one, from this year. Everyone from the factory is there.

N: Is Mark anywhere here? (In the helmet)
Sebastian: No, because I’m not there either. Strictly talking, drivers are not in the helmet.


N: We have to talk about Mark
S: Yes, ok

N: Were you surprised when he announced his retirement or were you expecting it?
S: Well, he didn’t tell me anything when everybody already knew it but…
N: Yes, I think he didn’t tell anything to Christian Horner either.
S: That’s it, but, I don’t know. Mark has been talking about his retirement since two years ago. Sometimes he said he was going to do it, sometimes he said he wasn’t going to do it… It’s his decision, so I wish him all the best in the future. Changing to Le Mans is an interesting step so, we will see.


[Next helmet]

S: This is not mine.

N: That is correct.

S: I think that… only because I’ve seen it a lot these days, it is Daniel’s one. But I am not sure about it.

N: Yes, of course, because we have to talk about Daniel too, he is your new teammate, also Australian. Was Daniel your favourite one for the position?

S: Well… my favourite…

N: Helmut Marko said he was your favourite one.

S: My favourite… You know what? He is already quite young. It would have been different having an experience driver such as Kimi or Fernando working for the team. However, I think it is a great chance for him.

N: Had they taken into consideration your opinion in order to make the decision?

S: How important was my opinion about the final decision? I don’t know, you should ask Christian or Helmut.

N: You prefer him, don’t you?

S: I know him a little. Obviously, I know Kimi because of everyone knows Kimi. Howerver, I don’t know Kimi as a teammate. I don’t know Fernando as a teammate either. I think that at the end of the day, it doesn’t matter who your teammate is, you want to win, and for that to happen you have to win your teammate and every of the drivers.


N: Next one.

S: This is not one of mine either. This is a Fernando’s one. Did he wear it in gold on Monaco?

N: It’s the only race where he changes his helmet. So Fernando was an option for Red Bull. It was never denied it, but I can’t really imagine Sebastian Vettel and Fernando Alonso working together for one team. What about you?

S: Obviously, that is not happening next year, but why not?

N: You are really strong, so is Fernando…

S: So what?

N: There is something I want to know. There are a lot of people who say that even if you have won 3 championships, Fernando is the best driver of the grid. Does that bother you?

S: I hope that Fernando fans say that. I’m sure that there are fans of Lewis who say the same about him.

N: But there are some journalists that say so.

S: I’m very happy with what I have achieved. I’m not looking backward, I always try to look forward. As I said, I’m happy. I’m also way about the way I won the titles. Fighting twice against Fernando, who was realy close, there were a few points of diference between us. I think I deserve those championships.

N: Fernando has said that he doesn’t fight against you but against Adrian Newey. Does that bother you?

S: No, not at all. I don’t know. I think it’s a little embarrasing saying that since Fernando has a strong team behind him. All the Ferrari stuff, engineers, mecanics… Everyone works really hard at the factory. It has to be not that nice to hear that from him. But it’s just my opinion.


[Next helmet]

S: This is easy, it has ‘Monaco’ written in it and it is this year one.

N: May you explain it to everyone?

S: This girl is wearing a bikini, and when the helmet gets hot, she takes it off, as in real life.

N: Do you decide every design?

S: Yes, it was my idea to include this girl.

N: Why?

S: I received a letter from a girl, a fan, who said that it was not ok because kids watch F1 too, it’s not ok that you can see boobs in TV and so. She said that it would have been much better if it would have been an apple tree in summer with apples and in winter without them, with this same effect.

N: What do you think about that?

S: That is too boring. We are adults, we have already grown up, and it’s ok.

N: I like it. Has it any relation with the way you name your cars?

S: Yes, of course, with women names.

N: You could name next season car after my name, Nira.

S: Yes, send me a photo like this and that of you, and then you’ll be in my helmet, ok?

N: I will give it a thought. But you have to pay for it, a lot.

S: Are you sure? Ok.

[Joking about paying or not…]


[Next helmet]

S: This is Singapore last year, it had lights but it’s banned to set them at the moment.

N: It isn’t safe, is it?

S: We are not allowed to do that again. We did it once and that’s it.

N: It was related with stars and constellations.

S: Yes, they were my family signs.

N: Which zodiac sign are you?

S: I’m a Cancer

N: Do you believe in horoscope?

S: No, I do not. Do you know about reading the newspaper everyday and see what is going to go well and bad for you? I don’t do that.

N: Describe yourself.

S: Oh, no, you can read the newspapers.

N: Cancer, I have a lot of friends who are cancer, nice people.

S: Yes…

N: The last one

S: Bad people, which sign are they? You know, when you say, oh, you are…

N: No, no no.

S: Which sign are you?

N: I’m a virgo, virgo, I don’t know, virgin. [The word it’s said the same on Spanish, she didn’t know how to say it in English and tried to say it right, but she was right at the beginning…]

S: Virgin? Yes? It’s a good sign. Then that’s your sign then, you are virgin, but what is your sign?

N: I don’t know in English, but it’s virgo.

S: It’s ok.

N: I know you are joking, ok, now I’ve blushed. The last one…

S: 2007, Indianapolis, the only race I drove with BMW,

N: Your first race in F1.

S: It was a tough one, a really tough one. Obviously it was great, the experience of driving. But I remember that I had to work a lot, physically, to be able to drive and keep pushing during the whole race without ending up absolutely exhausted. A lot of things have changed, as anyone else. By that time I was 19, now I’m 26. If you look at my friends when they were 19 and now, now they have grown up. You learn a lot of things.

N: Do you like your life as it is?

S: Yes

N: Are you happy?

S: Yes.

N: I’m very happy too.

N: Thanks a lot Sebastian and good luck.

S: I’m waiting for your photo for next year helmet.

N: I have to think about it.
[Rest of the ‘interview’ is in English already ]

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cheeky Seb " title="ha" />