Ferrari team principal Maurizio Arrivabene praises Sebastian Vettel for the “great impact” he has had on Ferrari since joining the Italian team last winter.
A former Red Bull protégé, the German sought a fresh challenge at the end of a difficult 2014 campaign and eventually replaced Fernando Alonso at Maranello.
Since then, Vettel has rapidly emerged as Ferrari’s driving force on the road to recovery, winning two races and securing another six podiums, including a second-place finish during his team's home event held at Monza.
“He has a great impact because the whole team is getting together [around him],” said Arrivabene. “He works hard and brings a lot of enthusiasm to the team. Sometimes, he’s also helping me make sure we’re getting together.
“Most importantly, he’s cooperating very well with his team-mate. They are friends and this is the reason why, when I talked about Kimi [Raikkonen]’s confirmation, I said we’re looking at the stability of the team.
“Seb is a fantastic champion but also a person who helps stabilise the team together with Kimi. It’s helping all of us to get together and to look forward. He is always smiling and positive so it makes me a bit more flexible, even when I have to complain.”
Asked whether Vettel is better for the stability of the team than ex-Ferrari star Fernando Alonso, Arrivabene, who replaced Marco Mattiacci as team principal last November, replied:
“I met Fernando when I was not doing this job and we have a very good relationship. But I don’t want to talk about him. I talk about my drivers and I’m perfectly fine with them.”
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