Damon Hill believes Aston Martin recruit Sebastian Vettel has yet to regain his motivation and confidence after they were seriously undermined at Ferrari last season.
Vettel was excluded from the Scuderia's 2021 plans as early as May of last year, the German enduring a dismal final campaign with the Italian outfit during which he was no match for teammate Charles Leclerc.
Although many believed the four-time world champion would take a sabbatical to ponder his future or regroup before jumping back into the fray, Vettel joined Lawrence Stroll's Aston Martin team which the Canadian billionaire aims to push to the front of the grid in the future.
Hill believes Vettel can turn around his fortunes and become once again a force to be reckoned with in F1, if he regains the energy and confidence that were lost last season at the Scuderia.
"I think Vettel was destabilised at Ferrari. I think there were political aspects that undermined his confidence and that ended up affecting his driving," the 1996 F1 world champion told Sky Sports F1.
"He missed opportunities, it’s true, but there were also great performances. I think Sebastian can still say a lot and if he sees a chance to be competitive for the win or the podium, he will give his best."
Vettel's pre-season preparations left himself and his team short on mileage due to technical issues, while the 33-year-old also admitted that he was facing "a big learning curve" in the short term.
"I hope he has had a chance to regain his self-confidence," added Hill.
"Sometimes I look at him and I think he doesn’t look motivated and confident, and that’s a bit worrying."
Gallery: The beautiful wives and girlfriends of F1 drivers
Keep up to date with all the F1 news via Facebook and Twitter
