25/09/2013
NEWS STORY
Mindful of the effect Michael Schumacher's domination of F1 had on the sport, Bernie Ecclestone suggests that Sebastian Vettel's dominance is coming to an end.
At the height of the Schumacher era, as the German reeled off win after win, title after title, interest in the sport declined. Indeed, things got so bad sections of the media virtually dropped their coverage of the sport.
Today, as Vettel heads towards his fourth successive title, the F1 supremo is mindful that along with the media, the moneymen, sponsors and promoters, will lose interest if virtually every race is going to end with the same result.
Talking to Bild, Ecclestone insists that despite three successive wins, two of them on circuits where Red Bull usually struggles, Vettel's grip on the sport will soon diminish.
"His domination will end, maybe in 2014," he told Bild. "We're going to have completely new cars, new engines, new rules. That will be the chance for Ferrari and Mercedes to catch up with Vettel. Next year, it might not be the best driver but the best car that wins the title."
Of course, the key phrase in all that is "catch up", in 2014, as in 2013, it is up to the opposition to raise its game.
The cars may be different next year, but as we have seen with Leyton House, Williams and McLaren, Adrian Newey can come up with the goods no matter what the rule book dictates.
Furthermore, Renault, as witnessed in various eras, and having been at the forefront of turbo technology when it was first introduced to the sport, is no slouch.
Should Vettel take pole for the opening race next season, and, even worse, take victory, the loudest booing will no doubt be heard from the little man in the white shirt and grey Beatle mop climbing into the back of a Maybach.
As for his claim that "he doesn't give Fernando Alonso and Lewis Hamilton a chance..." were the situation reversed would they? Winning is what they were all born to do.