Mr. Mateschitz, Red Bull CEO, says that half of the grid is after Sebastian Vettel after his Italian Grand Prix victory. My question is, can you blame them?This young man looks to be the real deal and is perhaps one of the best wet weather drivers on the grid. What I am more concerned with is Mr. Mateschitz’s belief that Vettel deserves a top team and ride and feels they can give him that next year. Unless I am missing something, the jump from where Red Bull is now and where Ferrari and McLaren are is huge. If BMW haven’t bridged the gap this year, it will be very difficult for Red Bull to leap-frog STR, Toyota, Renault and BMW to get at the top with Macca and Ferrari. The road to ten tenths is wrought with financial considerations and massive frustration as Honda can avow but Red Bull seem to think the Renault lump and Newey design will launch them straight to the top. I have my reservations.
In the end, one needs to think about Vettel’s career and ultimately that is something Sebastian himself should be concerned with. This is where a manager comes in handy.
“Half of the F1 grid is chasing him,” Mateschitz told Austrian newspaper Salzburger Nachrichten. “But Sebastian does not have any thoughts of moving out of Red Bull, nor have I. He is part of our family.
“We would be disappointed if he would propose to leave. However, he has earned a right for one of the best cars in one of the best teams, so we are obliged to offer him this at Red Bull Racing next season.”
