Review of Sebastian Vettel’s greatest comebacks

Surprisingly, Sebastian Vettel has never won any of his 52 victories starting from a position beyond third place. However, this does not mean that the former Red Bull star has never managed to finish (almost) at the top when starting from the back.

In this period when, despite some rebounds (like in Baku or Hungary this season) Vettel is no longer than a shadow of himself, it is good to remember that once upon a time, the German was one of the greatest. Here, therefore, are five of Sebastian Vettel’s most beautiful comebacks which prove that the one nicknamed “baby Schumi” knew how to handle himself in the pack.

5 – Grand Prix of Canada 2015

While the 2014 season turned out to be catastrophic for both Vettel (who was driving for Red Bull) and Ferrari, the two parties decide to unite to find, together, the path to the top.

The year 2015 was a real breath of fresh air as Vettel stepped on the podium five times (including a memorable victory in Malaysia) in the space of six races.

Upon arrival in Canada, the Scuderia decides to use the famous development tokens to equip both of its cars with a brand new V6 turbo hybrid engine that delivers an additional 35 horsepower.

Unfortunately an electronic problem on Vettel’s new power unit forced the German to start from the 18th position. Not discouraged at all, the Ferrari driver will claw back five places right from the first few laps. Despite a difficult first pit stop (as early as the seventh lap) and on a track where the Mercedes engine had a clear advantage, Vettel will continue his courageous climb up to fifth place, just behind his teammate, Kimi Räikkönen. The Finn had nevertheless started from the third position. The two Ferraris will set the fastest laps in the race.

« 4 – Singapore Grand Prix 2016 »

If there are Grand Prix races where the comebacks are more difficult than elsewhere, it’s on urban tracks. Yet it is in Singapore that Vettel will be forced to make his way through the pack. After a successful start to his collaboration with the Scuderia in 2015, Vettel hopes to aim for the title in the following season.

However, in 2016, it was a cold shower. Even though the Ferrari SF16-H represents a step forward compared to the previous car, it remains quite far from Mercedes (and even from Red Bull) in most Grand Prix races, especially in the second half of the season.

In Singapore, where Ferrari had literally crushed the competition last year, Vettel must start from the 22nd and last position following a suspension failure that prevented him from qualifying. The German will nevertheless climb up like a devil on Sunday by overtaking no less than seventeen cars. The Ferrari driver will even find himself three abreast with the Haas of Esteban Gutiérrez and the Toro Rosso of Carlos Sainz, but Vettel will make short work of the two drivers in just a few turns. He will finish in fifth place.

3 – Abu Dhabi Grand Prix 2012

After a difficult start to the campaign, Sebastian Vettel wins four consecutive Grand Prix races from Singapore behind the wheel of his Red Bull RB8. The native of Heppenheim arrives in Abu Dhabi, pumped up, with a thirteen-point lead over his closest pursuer, Fernando Alonso, with only three races remaining. However, everything goes wrong during qualifying. Vettel is forced to immobilize his car during the Q3 session. Renault engineers have noticed that the engine of the double world champion is about to break at any moment. This maneuver, prohibited by the regulations (which require cars to return to the pits under their own power), coupled with the fact that the Red Bull did not contain the minimum required amount of fuel, forced Sebastian Vettel to start from the back of the grid on Sunday.

The Red Bull team will even opt for a pit lane start in order to be able to adjust the settings of their champion’s front wing on the car.

Unleashed the next day, Vettel first climbs back up to eleventh place before having to change his front wing following contact with Bruno Senna’s Williams.

Starting 21st, the German driver overtakes cars one by one to secure third place from Jenson Button with four laps to go. While Vettel’s performance was somewhat overshadowed by the victory of the Räikkönen/Lotus duo that day, it proved crucial in his title race against Alonso, who finished second in Abu Dhabi.

2 – German Grand Prix 2019

Vettel suddenly collapsed at the end of 2018 while he was fighting for the title. It is with a tarnished reputation that he begins the 2019 campaign.

Meanwhile, many things have changed at Ferrari. The death of Sergio Marchionne gives control of Ferrari to John Elkann, Maurizio Arrivabene is replaced by Mattia Binotto, and Charles Leclerc takes the place of Kimi Räikkönen.

The four-time world champion finds himself in a new team where he is no longer considered the Messiah of the Scuderia. Sure, the podiums are there at the beginning of the season, but Vettel is slowly starting to struggle against his young, hungry teammate, not to mention that the veteran’s driving errors are stacking up (in Bahrain, Canada, and England).

In front of his home crowd, Sebastian Vettel is eliminated in Q1 due to a turbo issue. However, the next day is a festival. Vettel is already fourteenth by the end of the first lap, in a torrential rain.

Returning to the top 10 in the following laps, the German found himself with a stone in his shoe, named Räikkonen, who was also making his way through the pack with his Alfa Romeo. On the 47th of the 64 laps, Vettel, now third (but still behind the Finn), attempted a new attack on Kimi who defended tooth and nail. The Ferrari driver ultimately overtook the Alfa Romeo in the pits and would swallow up Daniil Kvyat and Lance Stroll to finish on the second step of the podium in front of an ecstatic crowd.

1 – Brazilian Grand Prix 2012

Everything that could go wrong went wrong for Sebastian Vettel during the 2012 edition of the Brazilian Grand Prix. But nothing could prevent the German from clinching a third title that day.

Initially qualified in second place, three positions ahead of his rival Alonso, Vettel misses his start before being harpooned by Bruno Senna’s Williams at the fourth corner.

The entire Red Bull team is holding its breath. For a moment, time stops at the team’s pit wall and the title seems to have decided to side with Ferrari.

However, battered single-seater, Vettel resumes the race. Neither his significantly damaged steed, nor the rain, nor a radio failure, and even less a strategic error will prevent the young German from making an appointment with his destiny. Vettel climbs back up as much as he can throughout the race. The title changes hands several times but in the end, the Red Bull driver crosses the line in an unexpected sixth place. Alonso, finishing second, the German wins his third title with just three small points ahead of the Ferrari driver.