Ferrari exit 'must be a distraction' for Vettel - Brawn

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Formula 1 motorsport boss Ross Brawn believes Sebastian Vettel's ousting from Ferrari at the end of the year "must be a distraction" for the German driver.

The opening round in Austria of the 2020 season was a race to forget for Vettel who failed to make the Q3 cut on Saturday and whose Sunday afternoon was undermined by a clumsy overtaking attempt on lap 31 on McLaren's Carlos Sainz, the very man that will replace the four-time world champion at Ferrari next year.

Assessing the weekend's events for F1.com, Brawn speculates that a few demons may be at work in Vettel's head.

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"It was a difficult start to Sebastian’s final season with the team," said Brawn.

"Everything must be swirling round in his head after he found out Ferrari did want to renew his services for next season.

"Sometimes, the things that put off a driver are quite subtle.

"Sebastian has appeared surprised and shocked by what has happened, and it must be a distraction, understandably so."

While questions perhaps linger in Vettel's mind, onboard footage of the Scuderia driver on Sunday revealed an SF1000 that was clearly a handful, the car snapping out of shape on multiple occasions around Spielberg's Red Bull Ring.

Brawn praised Charles Leclerc's opportunistic charge to second but nevertheless urged Ferrari to quickly get on top of its handling issues.

"Charles showed what a talented driver he is, managing his chances wisely to take an opportunistic second place," Brawn said.

"It is in these difficult races where the determination and talent of very special drivers come through.

"But Ferrari have got to quickly improve the situation otherwise it they face a very difficult season.

"They have plans to improve the car for Hungary, which is encouraging, but the start of the year is tougher than they anticipated."

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Phillip van Osten

Motor racing was a backdrop from the outset in Phillip van Osten's life. Born in Southern California, Phillip grew up with the sights and sounds of fast cars thanks to his father, Dick van Osten, an editor and writer for Auto Speed and Sport and Motor Trend. Phillip's passion for racing grew even more when his family moved to Europe and he became acquainted with the extraordinary world of Grand Prix racing. He was an early contributor to the monthly French F1i Magazine, often providing a historic or business perspective on Formula 1's affairs. In 2012, he co-authored along with fellow journalist Pierre Van Vliet the English-language adaptation of a limited edition book devoted to the great Belgian driver Jacky Ickx. He also authored "The American Legacy in Formula 1", a book which recounts the trials and tribulations of American drivers in Grand Prix racing. Phillip is also a commentator for Belgian broadcaster Be.TV for the US Indycar series.