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Aston Martin substitute Nico Hulkenberg believes Sebastian Vettel will start his 2022 season on the backfoot after missing the first two races. The German driver, who will be replaced by his four-time world champion counterpart, revealed that the former Red Bull driver will have his work cut out in the first few races.
Speaking in a TV pen after the Saudi Arabian GP, Hulkenberg said:
“Obviously he's lacking those two races so he will start a little bit on the back foot (defensive). But I think you know, he's very skilled, very talented, I think he's capable of catching up. But for sure he has a bit more work to do and he needs to dig a little bit deeper to try and make up for it.”
The former Force India driver believes Sebastian Vettel has the talent and skill to catch up quickly in terms of adapting to the car. However, the German believes his replacement will be on the defensive for the initial few races with a lot of work ahead after missing two races.
The four-time world champion was unable to drive in the first two races after testing positive for Covid-19 ahead of the season opener in Bahrain. While Hulkenberg warmed the seat for an ailing Sebastian Vettel, he also outperformed Lance Stroll in Saudi Arabia after not having driven a car since 2020.
Sebastian Vettel will not be motivated at Aston Martin in 2022, according to senior Red Bull advisor
Red Bull F1 team advisor Dr. Helmut Marko doubts the German's motivation with the Aston Martin team in the 2022 season. The Austrian veteran believes the Silverstone team will have to build a good car to do justice to the German champion’s talent. According to Red Bull's senior advisor, finishing outside the top 10 will not be motivating for Sebastian Vettel.
Speaking to German publication Formel 1, Dr. Marko commented on Vettel's motivation and said:
“You saw that in Baku (finished second), and he was also very fast in Monte Carlo. But where Aston Martin are at the moment, I don’t think the motivation will be too great. Aston Martin have to build a more competitive car. If you drive outside the points, the motivation is not the greatest.”
In 2021, Vettel was able to score his maiden podium of the season against his new team, while in Hungary he was disqualified due to a technical infringement. However, the Silverstone team have struggled with their porpoising issues in 2022 and have failed to score any points in the first two races.
