Sebastian Vettel says questioning his credentials as a quadruple world champion is “disrespectful”.
After four consecutive titles successes, culminating in the ultra-dominant second half of the 2013 season, the German has struggled even to match Red Bull newcomer Daniel Ricciardo this year with a less competitive and unreliable car.
Monaco, for example, was a particularly fraught weekend for Vettel, who was rarely confident his RB10 would even keep running.
“I have had many problems with the car,” he said in an interview published on Wednesday by the German broadcaster RTL.
“So it’s hard to get in your rhythm and get the best out of yourself,” said Vettel, 26.
He may not like it, but…… with such a dominant car in the past, his credentials were always going to be tested, without a dominant car.
He needs to put up; or shut up.