Prost compares Hamilton and Vettel
When asked about Sebastian Vettel, Alain Prost did not hesitate to make a comparison with Lewis Hamilton to explain how their approaches were different and why, in his opinion, the Briton might not benefit from the regulatory changes in 2014.
Astute observer of Formula 1, Alain Prost, four-time World Champion in 1985, 1986, 1989, and 1993, has had plenty of opportunity to absorb the working methods of current paddock drivers. Interviewed by *Crash.net*, he focuses on two of the strong men in the discipline today: Sebastian Vettel and Lewis Hamilton.
The least one can say is that he observes a fundamental difference in the way they approach their profession: « The way Sebastian works with the people in the team, we know he does little things differently from others. It gives him an advantage and makes him more confident. On the other side, there is a guy like Lewis, who is more of a pure racing driver. »
The Professor goes further in his explanation, believing that the 2008 World Champion is not at 100% of his capabilities currently: « I consider Lewis one of the fastest drivers—perhaps one of the best—but is he using his potential completely? Maybe not. Maybe next year, he’ll find another motivation, but at the moment, he finds it very hard to beat Sebastian, and I think he should change [his approach] a bit. »
Statements that echo comments made by Lewis Hamilton himself, once again relayed by our colleagues at Crash.net: “I have confidence that we will be competitive next year, but you never know, maybe circumstances will mean I won’t win the championship anymore. It can happen in our sport, who knows?” he tempers, before adding: “A while ago, that would have been a frightening thought, but it’s not as much anymore. Naturally, I’m greatly passionate about racing. I love the competition, I give absolutely everything every time I’m in the car […] In any case, life is not just about racing. I want to race as long as I can, but I also want to contribute to positive things in the world.”
Alain Prost goes even further, suggesting that the upcoming regulatory changes may undermine the performance of the Mercedes driver, unlike the Red Bull driver: « Before, you had the car in your hands, it was a raw ensemble. But now, it’s a package that suits someone like Sebastian. Today, you don’t drive on your own. You have all this computerized equipment behind you and you can have a different reaction. Maybe when we meet in March, we might say something different but, for the moment, I have to say that the new rules will suit Vettel and not Hamilton… »
Ambassador for Renault Sport in the paddock, the Frenchman knows well the importance of an established hierarchy within a team and praises the choice made by Red Bull for 2014, in the person of Daniel Ricciardo: Vettel must be the number 1 in the team next season. You don’t want to completely destabilize a team, especially with the new rules, by signing another top driver. You don’t want to create a problem, which will be an advantage.
