Sebastian Vettel's 'new' Red Bull chassis for Monza and beyond is not the one used to such good effect by on-form teammate Daniel Ricciardo in 2014. However, Germany's Sport Bild reports that the team did briefly consider giving Australian Ricciardo a different RB10 while Vettel takes a turn in the title-contending machine.
But Vettel will be using an entirely different 'Suzie' at Monza, after struggling so notably for Ricciardo's pace two weeks ago in Belgium. "We have found a couple of things (on the old chassis) and so it should help us here," the reigning quadruple world champion said.
Vettel smiled that the 'new' chassis is in fact a 'new old' one, but he played down the significance of the change amid his disappointing 2014 campaign. "It was always the plan to change it at some point," he told German reporters at Monza. "It's not unusual. The last race was not very good for us so we decided to use the opportunity to check everything."
Former double world champion Mika Hakkinen tips Vettel to eventually bounce back from his slump. "With time, he will get the car back where he wants it and then he will attack again," the Finn told Germany's SID news agency.
As for the 2014 title, however, Vettel's campaign is already essentially over. Instead, Bernie Ecclestone is tipping teammate Ricciardo as a genuine challenger to the warring Mercedes teammates Nico Rosberg and Lewis Hamilton.
"Ricciardo can be world champion this season," the F1 chief executive told Kronen Zeitung newspaper. "At the start I was convinced that Mercedes would be too far ahead, but now I'm not so sure," Ecclestone added.
The 83-year-old said his unpopular Abu Dhabi 'double points' finale boosts Ricciardo's chances even more, and so too might team orders -- with Vettel forced to fall in line and support his teammate's push. The smiling Australian, however, plays down that likelihood. "It's still too early for that," Ricciardo said at Monza. "At the most, maybe if three or four races before the end of the season I have a chance to compete for the title, we might discuss it." (GMM)
Red Bull Racing found some things in Vettel's old chassis
- Published on 05 Sep 2014 12:12
-
0
- By: Rob Veenstra
.
Trending news
-
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 -
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 -
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 -
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
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 Mercedes
- Base Brackley, Germany
- Michael Schumacher 3
- Nico Rosberg 4
- Nico Rosberg 6
- Michael Schumacher 7
- Nico Rosberg 8
- Nico Rosberg 8
- Nico Rosberg 9
- Lewis Hamilton 10
- Andrea Kimi Antonelli 12
- Lewis Hamilton 44
- George Russell 63
- Valtteri Bottas 77
- 632,762 comments on Mercedes
- 59 members have this team as their favourite
- Tweets about Mercedes
Replies (0)
Login to reply