Vettel criticizes Mercedes’ DAS system

Sebastian Vettel takes a closer look at Mercedes’ DAS and takes a critical look at the revolutionary control system.

If Ferrari were to test alone in Barcelona, ​​Sebastian Vettel would have to be quite satisfied with his new Ferrari SF1000: “After this first half day I got out with a smile on my face,” he reveals. “The car does what it should do, as does Charles in front of me. ”

Alone: ​​The red racer is not yet really fast on the Circuit de Catalunya. Ferrari didn’t make the top five on either day. Vettel admits: “At first glance, the competition is faster than we are, but we are at the very beginning and the focus is not on the best lap times, but on basic work – reliability, aerodynamic balancing, coordination.”

Important: In the curves – Ferrari’s Achilles heel in 2019 – Vettel senses progress. “I already know that we have made progress in the corners. What this means for the top speed, especially compared to the opponents, can currently hardly be estimated. Because as I said: we are still at the very beginning. We knew exactly in which areas we wanted to grow, so I see ourselves on course.”

If it weren’t for Mercedes with its DAS ( more here! ), The revolutionary system with which the driver can adjust the track while driving and thus influence the tire temperature.

“The fact that they are using DAS proves to me that this system is legal,” says the German, and admits: “It was great news for us. How much this could influence the balance of power remains to be seen. I don’t know whether and how the system can be copied because I don’t know how it works in detail and we don’t see how it’s stored in the car. ”

And how does he rate DAS as a driver? Vettel: “I can imagine that it feels a little strange for the drivers to push the steering wheel around. Imagine you go jogging every day with normal running shoes. And then someone tells you: ‘From now on your run with flip-flops.’ You can, but it certainly feels different. And actually we should be holding the steering wheel firmly and not feeling that it is falling off.”