load audio player
The Formula 1 former driver and four-time championSebastian Vettel spoke about his fascination with rallying ahead of the Race of Champions in Sweden, where he will compete alongside WRC drivers, both old-school and from the current grid: Sebastien Loeb, Thierry Neuville, Petter Solberg y Oliver Solberg.
Vettel revealed that he regularly follows the WRC and that he is surprised with all the skills that are necessary to compete in the category.
The 53-time Grand Prix winner ended his F1 career at the end of last season, but has hinted that he might try rallying in the future.
“I have great admiration for rally drivers. I think they have incredible ability,” Vettel said.
“This is an example of what it can feel like to rally, but I feel like I’m coming in with a screwdriver and a hammer, with two tools, while they come into the first corner with a whole set of tools, equipped with for everything that might happen, as if they had everything they needed”.
“I think it’s a great sport. There’s the element of racing and skill, but it’s quite different in a number of ways.”
“[Los rallies] they are a great sport, a great skill. I think the pilots are great. They don’t get the prominence they deserve.“.
“F1, as I said before, is very popular. Rallying is also popular, maybe more in the Nordic countries, but it deserves to be more worldwide, because what they do is incredible.”
“It would be a lot of work, but Maybe it could be tried if after a while without competing he keeps calling me… would be a great challenge,” he said.
Motorsport.com asked Vettel if he normally follows the WRC, to which he replied: “Yes, I’ve always followed it a bit.
“Not all the categories, but generally the rallies and the stages, and there are a lot of young guys who [también] they see him”.
“And I remember Petter [Solberg, presente en la rueda de prensa] when he competed and won.
“So it’s not that I grew up with rallying, but somehow I always saw it, and I admired that it went so fast with no loopholes or track limits and no matter what was next to you. So whatever the terrain, whatever whatever the conditions, it’s fascinating,” concluded the four-time F1 champion.
Should Vettel opt to rally in the future, he would not be the first F1 driver to do so. Kimi Raikkonen, his former Ferrari teammate, took part in 22 WRC races between 2009 and 2011, taking a best result of fifth at Rally Turkey in 2010.
Do you want to read our news before anyone else and for free? follow us here on our Telegram channel and you will not miss anything. All the information, at your fingertips!
