F1 | Aston Martin, Vettel: “Our weak point is aerodynamic efficiency”

Now condemned to seventh place in the Constructors' standings and after a season lacking in satisfaction, apart from a few good races (Baku above all), it can certainly be said that Aston Martin, considering the premises, was the disappointment of 2021. The former Racing Point was the team that perhaps paid the most for the change in regulations regarding the bottom of the single-seater, failing to recover the lost aerodynamic load.

Sebastian Vettel, speaking to Motorsport.com, analyzed what is the great Achilles heel of the AMR21, namely aerodynamic efficiency, both in terms of the load generated and too much resistance to progress.

“We've had races where the racing was really good, and others where I struggled a lot. Overall, what matters is how fast you are. Here I think our car has a little too much drag - the words of the four-time world champion - We don't have a very efficient car, and we don't generate enough downforce. This is the main weakness and is very difficult to fix. it's a little too overwhelming. On some tracks we went faster, on others we overcame the difficulties by finding a good set-up or working well with the tires and strategy. As long as the car is in the right window we can do a good job and get to the points, but it's not always easy to find that window and the competition in the middle of the pack is tight. Maybe some teams grew more than us during the season."