Vettel needs a manager - Stewart

[John S]

JYS is usually right about most things in F1, but is he right on this occassion?

Sebastian Vettel should rethink his policy of not employing a manager, according to triple World Champion Sir Jackie Stewart.

21-year-old German Vettel, the only driver other than Jenson Button to have won a race this season, negotiated his BMW, Toro Rosso and Red Bull assignments with the assistance only of his father Norbert, and an external lawyer.

"Up until now he didn't need a manager," Scot Stewart, 69, told Germany's Auto Motor und Sport.

"But he will not be able to imagine what is going to happen to him if he really becomes a superstar," Stewart added.   
 
Stewart, also a team owner and boss at the end of the 1990s, believes Red Bull driver Vettel has not yet reached his peak of popularity, which will complicate the handling of his own affairs.

"He will become so big that he needs someone to guide him through the things that, apart from driving, are important," he continued.

"He will be dealing with people like politicians, heads of big companies. He should be prepared for that," Stewart pointed out.

D.B. © CAPSIS International

[Jericoke]

I'm sure a rise to fame catches many off guard.  I'm assuming that Vettel is trying to remain 'humble'.  After all, there's all kinds of movies and TV shows showing how nasty people with an entourage become.  Who wants that in their life?

So who should Vettel look up to, off track career wise?  I'm guessing his hero is Michael Schumacher.  Should Vettel look up Willie Weber? 

[Alianora La Canta]

So far, I think Vettel's instincts have been correct. He does consult with his dad on big things (though unlike Anthony and Lewis Hamilton, no formal management contract exists between them that I know about) so it's not like he has absolutely no support on that side. If he does need extra support in a specific part of the role of being a superstar, then I suspect Sebastian will know when to start looking - and hopefully will then figure out who he needs to add to his team.

[Scott]

I'm not sure he needs a manager at the moment.  Perhaps when the big dollars come calling, he might want to employ one, but day to day, I think they are more for a driver's ego.  Perhaps it's because a driver can't deal with the people around him, so he needs one to insulate him from people he doesn't want to, or can't deal with.  If Vettel is as comfortable in his own skin as he appears to be, then he likely doesn't need one for those reasons.  If all he needs one for is to negotiate with the big teams for a contract, then he'd probably be better off with a bulldog lawyer.

[Chameleon]

Actually, I think Vettel is rather a good advertisement for drivers not having managers.  He has done perfectly well without one so far and is able to discuss things with his dad without dragging him into the arena for the press to make cheap potshots at.  Wise young man.

[Steven Roy]

I guess it depends on how clued up his father is and no doubt JYS has met him.

[Willy]

I agree 100% with Sir Jackie that Vettel should have a manager. Someone who can look after the affairs of the driver and let the driver concentrate on what they do best, driving. I believe a family member is a poor choice for this position as they can be too close and not objective enough.

Willie Webber would not be a good choice, in my opinion, as he has to many $$$$ in his eyes.

[Monty]

In this 'sport' I think a Manager and a PR team are essential.
I hope he stays a million miles from Webber. Webber 'lucked-in' with Michael Sumacher but did absolutely nothing for Ralph apart from take his huge cut!

[Dare]

In this 'sport' I think a Manager and a PR team are essential.
I hope he stays a million miles from Webber. Webber 'lucked-in' with Michael Sumacher but did absolutely nothing for Ralph apart from take his huge cut!

Webber got Ralf $20,000,000 a year at Toyota.If only
Ralf could have earned his pay

[Monty]

I think the Shumacher name got Ralph the Toyota drive not Willie Webber. There is also a lot of debate on how much he was paid.
Personally, I never thought Ralph was much good (he hadn't really shone in Karting or any other series). I therefore blamed him for poor performances at Toyota (particularly as it is a German team).
However, now I realise that at least part of the problem was simply that the car was (and is) a complete dog!

[Dare]

Your probably right about the Shumacher name getting
Ralf the money but looking at past f1 the name isn't
always magiv.The Brabhams and Giles brother Jacques
for example

[Jericoke]

Your probably right about the Shumacher name getting
Ralf the money but looking at past f1 the name isn't
always magiv.The Brabhams and Giles brother Jacques
for example

The name gets you in the door, but results speak.  Ralf may never have earned an F1 seat on his own, but he certainly deserved to be there more than many other F1 drivers over the years.

[Steven Roy]

There was a whole generation (or two) of drivers like Irvine who went to Japan and came back with big reputations despite barely winning a race.  Ralf went to Japan and won the Formula Nippon championship.  I think he was a decent F1 driver and had he not had that particular brother he would be viewed differently.   He was judged against a different standard than any of his team mates.

[Willy]

Ralph was never outstanding and was there due to the Schumacher name. But he got very gun-shy after his two big shunts at Indy. Not the sane driver afterwards.