Vettel says doubts about his Sauber pace may have had some basis

Sebastian Vettel says he can understand why doubts about his pace circulated during his time at Sauber, allowing that they may have had some basis because he needed time before everything clicked. In the ARD documentary *Being Sebastian Vettel*, the four-time world champion also recalled that his BMW contract stated he would get a Formula 1 seat, but said the arrangement did not unfold as originally planned.

Vettel's first appearance at a Grand Prix weekend came in Friday practice at the 2006 Turkish Grand Prix, where he set the fastest time. In 2007, he made his Grand Prix debut for BMW Sauber after regular driver Robert Kubica was sidelined by injury, scoring his first world championship point.

Vettel said BMW had not necessarily lost interest, but that the drive behind it was no longer the same. He lacked a clear plan for his next steps, he recalled.

Red Bull offered another route. Just weeks after his BMW Sauber Grand Prix debut, Vettel became a full-time driver for Toro Rosso. Former Red Bull motorsport adviser Helmut Marko said Sauber's doubts had enabled Red Bull to sign him, and described Vettel as fast, technically capable and willing to work hard.

Vettel won the 2008 Italian Grand Prix at Monza for Toro Rosso, delivering the first Formula 1 victory for a team owned by the Red Bull group. Marko said that success brought Vettel to Red Bull the following year. Vettel became world champion for the first time in 2010, after BMW had withdrawn from Formula 1.