During the US Grand Prix weekend, we worked with Shell V-Power Nitro+ over the weekend as well as covered the race for Formula1blog.com.
Part of that weekend was spent at the Austin Driveway race track where we had a couple of laps with 4-time world champion Sebastian Vettel in a Ferrari F12 in the wet.
As you can imagine, it was an otherworldly experience which I wrote about here. Thanks to Shell, we had several cameras on the car and here is the full hot lap session which includes my questions for Sebastian.
I wanted to know how difficult it was to sense power and chassis changes from track to track as well as his preference for oversteer. We even discover that he’s only average at changing a diaper.
Wha’t interesting is his comments about the fuel this year and how the drivers are part of the process as well as how they can feel the gains made by fuel development. As we know, fuel has become a critical component for the new Formula 1 power units and much performance gains have been made from duel suppliers to all the teams.
Thank you to Shell V-Power Nitro+, Scuderia Ferrari and Sebastian Vettel for their time, opportunity and kind consideration.
Great interview Todd, some really good questions that we typically don’t see asked of the drivers. And of course, the nappies. :)
I second that. You managed to get some real insight from him in a very short time.
Amazing how he was driving and barely concentrating!
That was pretty cool, and you looked as if you didn’t need a change of nappies, when Sebastian was finished.
I’m just amazed that you could actually hold a conversation with Vettel without freaking out due to the speed and all. :-D
I had some pre-Vettel training on how to go like hell and still manage to ask questions even though you are at the edge of the limit…I did hot laps with one Paul Charsley and that was my training ground. :)
I found it interesting that at times Sebastian pauses in his answer, usually mid corner. He is obviously trying hard enough even on these passenger rides that he needs to concentrate fully on driving.
I was completely surprised how quickly Sebastian got on it, after Todd got in the car.
F1b goes from strength to strength, Well done Tod and the gang. Awesome work.
I am still floored by the awesomeness of this video. I am emailing it all around me to future F1 fans around me, they just know they are not fans yet. Either they will become such, or restraining orders will be the result. This video will help my case.
Obviously a nice, polite and engaged man. Looks good sitting next to Seb as well.
That was awesome. So glad you got to do that. My favorite part is how his eyes went all lion-surveying-the-landscape and all his actions switched to full attack mode in moment one as he was pulling away into the pit exit. Not a man of half-measures clearly.
Brilliant, thanks for the video.