Spa-Francorchamps (Belgium): Four-time Formula One (F1) champion Sebastian Vettel found himself in the unfamiliar position of playing rear gunner to young Ferrari teammate Charles Leclerc in the Belgian Grand Prix here Sunday.
The German, who started second alongside Charles Leclerc, struggled from the outset to extract the race-leading speed the 21-year-old, who went on to win ahead of Lewis Hamilton and Valtteri Bottas, was pulling out of his Ferrari.
Hoping to end a victory drought stretching to last year’s Belgian race, any chances Sebastian Vettel had vanished after Mercedes tricked Ferrari into pitting him early.
“For the team, yes, I’m happy,” said Vettel, who finished fourth after making a second pitstop in the closing stages of the race. “For myself I’m not happy. From the first stop onwards, it was clear we wouldn’t be in the fight. So all I could do by then is serve the team,” added the German.
Left out on fading tyres, Vettel had just enough to hold Lewis Hamilton up and allow Charles Leclerc to win by less than a second.
In only his first season with Ferrari and second in Formula One, Leclerc has increasingly had the measure of Vettel, who has looked a shadow of the driver that won four titles on the trot from 2010 to 2013.
Aside from taking Ferrari’s first win of the year, Leclerc has three pole positions to Vettel’s one and has qualified ahead of the German for the last six races.
Meanwhile after his win, Leclerc dedicated his maiden Formula One (F1) victory to his late friend, Anthoine Hubert who died in a tragic Formula Two crash Saturday.
Leclerc was quick to express his emotions as he steered back to the ‘parc fermee’, his steering wheel sporting a simple message ‘RIP Tonio’. “My first victory in F1 and this one is for Anthoine,” he said on the team radio. “It feels good, but it’s difficult to enjoy on a weekend like this. But thanks guys, you are the best – it’s a dream come true.”
Leclerc said he felt he could not enjoy his long-awaited first win. “It has been a very difficult weekend since Saturday – I have lost a friend and I want to dedicate this victory to him. We grew up together and my first race I did it with Anthoine, Esteban (Ocon) and Pierre (Gasly).
“It’s just a shame what happened yesterday (Saturday). I cannot enjoy my first victory, but it will definitely be a memory I will keep forever,” added Leclerc.
Agencies