Sebastian Vettel left Ferrari at the end of 2020 after a disastrous season, during which he finished P13 in the Drivers’ Championship. He has never been the same since his terrible crash two years ago in the German Grand Prix. Many people have said that Vettel has not been operating on a level that can bring his team a title success. The switch to Aston Martin for the 2021 season was supposed to serve as a fresh start for Vettel in a less stressful environment.

Vettel’s situation has clearly changed though since his days at Red Bull when he was the dominant force in Formula 1. Two-time World Rally Champion and racing legend Walter Röhrl believes that a driver of Vettel’s talent cannot simply forget how to drive and that it is Aston Martin’s “job” to figure out the real reasons behind his struggles.

For the first time in his career, Vettel is operating under a Mercedes-built drivetrain, as opposed to his previous experiences with Ferrari and Renault. At the March Bahrain Grand Prix, the four-time world champion didn’t get off to a strong start due to a grid penalty. He also got a 10-second time penalty for colliding with another driver, Esteban Ocon. Eventually, Vettel finished 15th in the race and thus did not receive any points.

The April Emilia Romagna Grand Prix in Imola was his chance to redeem himself. Unfortunately, his bad luck started long before the lights turned green. He had brake problems, had to start from the pits instead of the grid, and eventually had to retire later in the race due to issues with the gearbox. These difficulties put an end to this race, but Vettel is optimistic that things will improve for the upcoming race in Portugal.