Vettel's Bahrain Gp: What Went Wrong?

Sebastian Vettel was forced to miss the first practice session of the 2024 Formula 1 season at the Bahrain Grand Prix after contracting Covid-19. Aston Martin substitute Nico Hulkenberg replaced the stricken Vettel, who was bedridden when he got the call to pack his bags for Bahrain. Hulkenberg had no prior experience with the new car and only 24 hours to prepare, but he still managed to finish ahead of his teammate Lance Stroll. This wasn't the first time Hulkenberg had filled in for a Covid victim; he had also stepped in for Vettel at the 2020 Australian Grand Prix.

Sebastian Vettel fastest in FP1

Sebastian Vettel was fastest in FP1 at the 2017 Monaco Grand Prix. The German driver clocked a 1m13.425s on Pirelli's ultrasoft tyres to finish 0.196s clear of title rival Vettel on the streets of the Principality. This was the fastest lap ever recorded at the historic circuit.

Vettel was the early pace-setter, but he was deposed when Mercedes swapped to the ultrasofts with just over 50 minutes to go. Valtteri Bottas and Hamilton traded fastest laps, with the latter clocking the fastest time on the fourth lap of his run.

Vettel's participation in the 2016 Bahrain Grand Prix ended without starting as his car broke down on the formation lap. He joined Aston Martin for the 2021 season, replacing Sergio Pérez. In his debut race weekend in Bahrain, he received a grid penalty in qualifying, forcing him to start last. While Vettel started well, he had a collision with Esteban Ocon, giving him a time penalty, and he ended up finishing in 15th place.

Vettel is a German racing driver who won four Formula One World Drivers' Championship titles consecutively from 2010 to 2013 with Red Bull. He remains the youngest-ever World Drivers' Champion and won 53 Grands Prix across 16 seasons.

Vettel's Aston Martin debut

Sebastian Vettel's debut for Aston Martin took place in March 2021, marking his first time driving for a new team in six years. The German driver, who replaced Sergio Perez, had spent the majority of his 14-year career in cars running on Ferrari or Renault power. This was also his first experience with a Mercedes F1 engine.

Vettel shared driving duties with Lance Stroll as the rebranded team completed the 100km-limited test amid mixed track conditions at Silverstone. The event marked the first running of an Aston Martin F1 car since the 1960 British Grand Prix.

Vettel's debut for Aston Martin followed a disappointing end to his six-year stint with Ferrari, where he finished 13th in the 2020 Drivers' Championship. Despite this, his new team boss, Otmar Szafnauer, expressed confidence in the 33-year-old's ability to contribute to the team's future success.

Vettel's first extended running in the AMR21 car took place during pre-season testing in Bahrain, where he stated that he would wait for this opportunity to gain a better understanding of how the new car would perform.

Vettel's Bahrain GP qualifying

Sebastian Vettel's performance in the 2021 Bahrain Grand Prix qualifying session was less than ideal. The German driver, who had debuted with Aston Martin, finished in the P18 position. This was a disappointing outcome, as Vettel, a four-time world champion, should not have been at risk of elimination in Q1.

Vettel's underwhelming performance was partly due to yellow flags brought out by Nikita Mazepin's spin toward the end of Q1. However, it's worth noting that Aston Martin was a competitive team, as Lance Stroll, Vettel's teammate, finished the session in P10. This indicated that the car had the necessary pace, and Vettel's early exit could be attributed to other factors or unfortunate circumstances.

Despite this setback, Vettel had previously shown his prowess in Bahrain. In 2017, he topped the first Formula 1 free practice session for the Bahrain Grand Prix, demonstrating his skill and experience.

Fast forward to 2024, and Vettel's absence from the Bahrain Grand Prix due to Covid meant that Aston Martin substitute, Nico Hulkenberg, had to step in. Hulkenberg had little time to prepare, having only experienced the new car in a simulator, but he still managed to complete 23 laps, with his gap to Stroll narrowing in the second session.

Vettel's replacement by Nico Hulkenberg

Sebastian Vettel, the four-time world champion, was set to take to the track for the 2022 season opener in Bahrain but tested positive for COVID-19. This meant that he had to be replaced by former Williams, Force India, and Renault driver Nico Hulkenberg.

Hulkenberg stepped in for Vettel and his Aston Martin team at the 2022 Formula 1 Bahrain Grand Prix. He felt he was able to build "some confidence" in the car during Friday's two practice sessions after his last-minute call-up. Hulkenberg finished the race in 17th place.

Vettel also missed the following race, the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix in Jeddah, as he had not recovered from COVID-19 in time. Hulkenberg stepped in once again, and the team at Aston Martin said, "Nico coped well in Bahrain and we are sure he will do likewise in Jeddah."

Vettel's Bahrain GP practice

During the first practice session for the 2017 Bahrain Grand Prix, Sebastian Vettel topped the standings for Ferrari. Vettel's best time of 1m32.697s was recorded with 31 minutes of the session remaining, and it was enough to secure first place, finishing four-tenths of a second ahead of Red Bull's Daniel Ricciardo.

Vettel's teammate, Kimi Raikkonen, encountered problems and was the slowest after stopping on his seventh lap due to smoke coming from the rear of the car, which the team suspected was related to high engine temperature.

In the second practice session, Max Verstappen of Red Bull topped the standings with a time of 1m30.847s, finishing ahead of Lando Norris of McLaren and Lewis Hamilton of Mercedes.

Vettel's performance in the first practice session of the 2017 Bahrain Grand Prix demonstrated Ferrari's pace and competitiveness, setting the tone for the rest of the race weekend.

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