Part of Sebastian Vettel's problem in 2014 is that he is 'worn out', Red Bull team boss Christian Horner has revealed. Having utterly dominated the sport, culminating in his four consecutive drivers' titles between 2010 and last year, the 27-year-old German has struggled for form this season.
Some think that following Mark Webber's departure, his new Australian teammate Daniel Ricciardo is simply putting Vettel in the shade. Ricciardo, having graduated from the junior team Toro Rosso, is 6-5 up Vettel in qualifying, and with a clear 9-2 lead in the grands prix after 11 races -- including two wins compared to Vettel's none.
Horner says not only Red Bull but the entire world of F1 has been surprised by Ricciardo's form. "I genuinely want to see if I have what it takes, if I am the best in the world," 25-year-old Ricciardo told CNN. "And I've got the best guy to measure myself to."
But Horner insists that, as ever in F1, the real story is somewhat more complicated than Ricciardo bursting onto the scene and showing he is a better driver than Vettel. "It is a combination of several things," the Briton told Germany's Auto Bild Motorsport.
"First, when you have fought for the title for five years, it does wear you out a little bit, but that is not the fundamental problem. The way Vettel brought out those extra tenths from the car in recent years was quite unique," Horner explained. "He is very sensitive to the behaviour of the car, especially when braking."
So the new, mandatory 'brake-by-wire' systems this year mean Vettel has "lost part of his feeling for the car", Horner said. And "the driveability was really bad, so Seb could not look after the tyres in the way that he always has done," he added. Horner said Vettel used to drive a bit "like a ballerina, dancing on the throttle and the brakes", which was not initially possible in 2014.
But Red Bull and Renault have been working hard on the package, with Horner saying Vettel's pace in Hungary shows he is "getting the feeling for the car back again". Horner continued: "We also can't forget how many mechanical problems Sebastian has had, many of them just little things that have disrupted his flow. So he has had less time to adapt his driving style," he added. (GMM)
Vettel like a ballerina, dancing on throttle and brakes - Horner
- Published on 12 Aug 2014 09:44
-
0
- By: Rob Veenstra
.
Trending news
-
Drivers' WhatsApp Group Has "Exploded" as GPDA Confirms Widespread Frustration With 2026 RulesThe discontent among Formula 1 drivers over the 2026 regulations is not a Max Verstappen problem. It is a paddock-wid...
03 Apr 2026 14:58 -
Argentina Is Seriously Pursuing a Return to the Formula 1 CalendarFranco Colapinto has done something for Argentine motorsport that no amount of marketing could replicate: he has made...
03 Apr 2026 11:56 -
Verstappen's Worst Season Start in Ten Years: The Numbers Behind the SlumpThree races in, Max Verstappen has twelve points and sits ninth in the world championship. By his own exceptional sta...
03 Apr 2026 16:14 -
Windsor Predicts Verstappen Will Leave F1: "The Rules Have Reduced Him to an Ordinary Driver"Peter Windsor has gone further than most analysts in his assessment of Max Verstappen's future. The veteran journ...
03 Apr 2026 13:57 -
Reconstruction: Antonelli Is Creating a Verstappen-Style Culture Shock at MercedesFormula 1 appears to have a new prodigy. Andrea Kimi Antonelli has won his first two races in China and Japan, taken ...
03 Apr 2026 12:58
Azerbaijan Grand Prix
Local time
-
Friday
Saturday
Sunday
Azerbaijan Grand Prix
Local time
-
Friday
-
Saturday
-
Sunday
-
Friday
-
Saturday
-
Sunday
Test calendar
Circuit de Catalunya - Winter testing
-
Jan 26
I. Hadjar
- 1:18.159
-
-
-
Jan 27
M. Verstappen
- 1:19.578
-
-
-
Jan 28
A. Antonelli
- 1:17.362
-
-
-
Jan 29
G. Russell
- 1:16.445
-
-
-
Jan 30
L. Hamilton
- 1:16.348
-
-
Bahrain International Circuit - Winter testing
-
Feb 11
L. Norris
- 1:34.669
-
-
-
Feb 12
C. Leclerc
- 1:34.273
-
-
-
Feb 13
A. Antonelli
- 1:33.669
-
-
Bahrain International Circuit - Winter testing
-
Feb 18
G. Russell
- 1:33.459
-
-
Feb 19
A. Antonelli
- 1:32.803
-
-
Feb 20
C. Leclerc
- 1:31.992
-
-
World Championship standings 2026
Pos
Driver
Team
Points
Pos
Team
Points
Related news
Give your opinion!
Formula 1 Calendar - 2026
Date
Grand Prix
Circuit
-
Spain
-
Bahrain
-
Bahrain
Formula 1 Calendar - 2026
Date
Grand Prix & Circuit
-
Spain
Circuit de Catalunya
-
Bahrain
Bahrain International Circuit
-
Bahrain
Bahrain International Circuit
6 - Mar 8
Australia
Albert Park
13 - Mar 15
27 - Mar 29
Japan
Circuit Suzuka
10 - Apr 12
Bahrain
Bahrain International Circuit
17 - Apr 19
Saudi Arabia
Jeddah Street Circuit
1 - May 3
United States of America
Miami International Autodrome
22 - May 24
Canada
Gilles Villeneuve
5 - Jun 7
Monaco
Monte Carlo
12 - Jun 14
Spain
Circuit de Catalunya
Driver profile
- Team Visa Cash App RB
- Points 1,061
- Podiums 24
- Grand Prix 188
- Country AU
- Date of b. Jul 1 1989 (36)
- Place of b. Perth, AU
- Weight 64 kg
- Length 1.75 m
- 190,908 comments on Visa Cash App RB
24 members have this team as their favourite
Tweets about Daniel Ricciardo
Team profile
- Team name Renault
- Base Enstone, France
- Fernando Alonso 1
- Daniel Ricciardo 3
- Fernando Alonso 5
- Fernando Alonso 5
- Fernando Alonso 7
- Romain Grosjean 8
- Fernando Alonso 8
- Fernando Alonso 8
- Pastor Maldonado 13
- Jenson Button 15
- Kevin Magnussen 20
- Nico Hülkenberg 27
- Jolyon Palmer 30
- Esteban Ocon 31
- Carlos Sainz jr 55
- 236,925 comments on Renault
- 26 members have this team as their favourite
- Tweets about Renault
Replies (0)
Login to reply