Ferrari Engineer Reveals: ‘Vettel Was the Reason for Our 2017 and 2018 Title Failures’
In a shocking revelation that could rattle the Ferrari faithful, a former senior Ferrari engineer has opened up about the Scuderia’s near-misses in the 2017 and 2018 Formula 1 seasons, pinning much of the blame on four-time world champion Sebastian Vettel. The engineer, who wished to remain anonymous, claims that critical mistakes by Vettel, both on and off the track, were instrumental in Ferrari’s inability to secure a title during those two years, when they had arguably one of their most competitive cars in the hybrid era.
According to the insider, while the SF70H and SF71H cars gave Ferrari a real shot at breaking Mercedes’ dominance, Vettel’s inconsistency and poor decision-making in crucial moments cost the team dearly. “We had a car capable of winning the championship in 2017 and 2018. We were leading the championship for a large portion of both seasons, but Seb made too many unforced errors under pressure,” the engineer said. “The crash in Singapore 2017, the mistakes in Baku, and then the disaster at Hockenheim in 2018 – these were moments where the team needed a calm head, and we didn’t get that from him.”
The revelation is sure to ignite debate in the F1 world, especially among Vettel’s legions of fans who view his time at Ferrari as a victim of bad luck and team mismanagement. However, the engineer suggested that behind the scenes, Vettel’s feedback on car development also contributed to some of Ferrari’s strategic missteps, particularly with aerodynamics and tire management.
The engineer continued: “Seb was deeply involved in the car’s development process, but at times his feedback led us in the wrong direction. His driving style didn’t always align with what the car needed, and it became clear in 2018 that he was struggling to adapt. Meanwhile, Mercedes and Lewis [Hamilton] were getting everything right.”
This news is bound to reignite discussions about Vettel’s legacy at Ferrari, where he was hailed as the man to bring them their first driver’s title since Kimi Räikkönen in 2007 but ultimately fell short. While the team’s operational errors and mechanical failures played a part, these comments suggest that Vettel’s role in their title drought may have been more significant than previously acknowledged.
Vettel, who retired from F1 at the end of 2022, has yet to respond to the allegations. However, it remains to be seen how this new perspective on his Ferrari stint will impact the way his career is remembered.
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