Formula 1

Infiniti Ambassador Vettel: Spa Is “Sheer Challenge”

2 Mins read

Despite Sebastian Vettel's almost uninspiring practice sessions today at Spa the Infiniti ambassador has said that it is a circuit that he cannot help but want to drive. “As a driver, you can't help but look forward to the sheer challenge that is Spa-Francorchamps. It's one of the world's most legendary circuits and one that I really love driving, thanks to its demanding high-speed corners, technical slow sections and brilliant atmosphere.” Its comments like this that shows what the current World Champion thinks of a circuit that will be difficult for him to win due to ever changing weather conditions, a fast car and quick driver is not the answer.

Vettel shows his age when describing driving round the circuit “It's incredibly hilly, meaning you have corners such as Eau Rouge where you rush downhill at 290 kph and then, just as quickly, climb skywards like a rocket. And that's only the start of the lap!.” A trait that is endearing in the young man that was catapulted into fame when joining Red Bull Racing.

Vettel continues by hinting at upgrades that could set the Red Bull in a better situation over the weekend “These fast sections suit the Red Bull RB7 really well. It used to be that we struggled a bit on the long uphill climbs but I think we should be much better this year.”

He later moves on to discuss what makes the circuit a fan and driver favourite “At 7km, Spa is one of the longest tracks we race on. That means it's hard to make a perfect lap. But it also explains why, if you get it right, there is a fantastic feeling – a real buzz, and, because the lap is very long, it seems you enjoy it even more because you've got more time. It's a place where you can extend the car to its limit and really appreciate the handling and the performance of what an F1 car is capable of.”

“The secret to Spa is that it has corners where cars are on the edge. That applies to the drivers too. We all love speed, so when you have these fast, corners you can understand why the drivers can't wait to go there and do what they like best.”

A positive for the young German is that he also gets to drive to the scenic circuit “this year I'll be making the journey in my Infiniti FX50, a car that makes the going effortless. F1 people will do anything they can to avoid going to an airport, so this is the perfect solution!”

Vettel signs off with a last thought for the history “Spa is a circuit that's inspired some great performances over the years – I'm sure this season with all the action we've seen to date be no exception.”

From the 2011 season, Infiniti is a major partner of the Red Bull Racing team and features prominently on the race-winning RB7 driven by Sebastian Vettel and Mark Webber.

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