Four-time Formula 1 world champion Sebastian Vettel has completed his first on-track running as an Aston Martin driver, following the new AMR21’s shakedown on Thursday.
Vettel and new team-mate Lance Stroll shared the running at Silverstone, completing a combined 100km – the maximum permitted in the regulations for a ‘filming day’.
The car is largely the same as the RP20 Stroll scored two podiums with in 2020 and Vettel’s predecessor Sergio Perez won the Sakhir Grand Prix in.
For Vettel though, it was a first chance to familiarise himself with his new team in a live track environment, following his high-profile move from Ferrari.
#AMR21, meet the racetrack. Racetrack, meet the #AMR21. 💚🤝 pic.twitter.com/U9ILGe0MjU
— Aston Martin Cognizant F1 Team (@AstonMartinF1) March 4, 2021
He had a difficult farewell season with Ferrari as he struggled to handle the car’s loose rear end as effectively as team-mate Charles Leclerc.
He is known to have a specific style and struggles when the rear aggressively rotates, but technical director Andrew Green said on Wednesday ahead of the AMR21’s launch that Vettel should adapt swiftly.
Green even said Vettel actually needed less specific requirements than Perez did.
“I think Seb’s style is a lot less extreme,” said Green.
“We have the tools and capability to tune the car to suit him for sure.
“We’ve already started working on that for the last month in the simulator.
“He seems very happy with the direction that we’ve taken, no problems there.”
