"It wants to be tamed in a different way" - Aston Martin driver on their 2022 F1 car

Sebastian Vettel has revealed how he’s adapting his driving style to Aston Martin AMR22. During the three-day-long Barcelona test where he finished P6 overall, Vettel said he experimented with a lot of different driving styles to try and figure out the best possible way to extract the most from his new ride.

Speaking to the media on the final day of testing, the four-time F1 world champion said:

“There’s still a lot to learn for me with a car that wants to be driven in a different way, and I’m playing with driving styles, what I can do. Equally we are playing with the car, we are trying to solve some of the problems that we have, the challenges we face, find solutions. So, there’s still a lot to do.”

He further said:

“In all honesty, there’s still an awful lot to understand. It’s a completely different animal and it wants to be tamed in a different way. That’s driving the car, but that’s also operating, in terms of set-up. We’ve tried a couple of things. There are some major challenges, like others are also facing, and problems. So yeah, we need to find solutions.”

Despite the various issues that the team experienced throughout testing, including having to stop on track after his car caught fire, Vettel says he’s relishing the challenge. He went on to add, saying:

“Everybody’s flat out, there’s still a very, very steep and high mountain to climb. I can’t say at the minute we’re seeing the peak, but I think the challenge is fun, and the belief is there that one day we will reach that peak, hopefully just before the season.”

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Aston Martin needs to deliver if it wants to retain Sebastian Vettel

Aston Martin will be under increased pressure to deliver a good car in 2022, following comments made by their star driver Sebastian Vettel at the team’s launch.

Vettel seemed to indicate that he might not stick around if he doesn’t have the opportunity to challenge for race wins and podiums with Aston Martin on a regular basis, saying:

“I think I had a while now in the sport and I had good years and not-so-good years, but mostly I’d say good years, great years with a very competitive car and a competitive team. Now, no doubt I’m in a very competitive team and the team spirit is great, the goal is clear – we want to progress and win. So, ultimately, having had the cars that I’ve had so far, I’m mostly interested in winning and that will determine what the future brings.”

A mediocre 2021 season saw the team slip down the order to P7, despite some stellar performances from Vettel. Aston Martin will now be hoping to move up the order once again in 2022, and provide Vettel with the car that his talent deserves.