Vettel dismisses bad-boy tag

Sebastian Vettel has dismissed suggestions he has become a Formula One bad boy, although admits he is going through a rough patch.

Vettel’s clean, baby-faced image has faded this season, in particular as the pressure has grown.

At various stages Vettel has delivered numerous gestures and been embroiled in a number of incidents that has altered the general perception of his character.

In Turkey, following his shunt with Red Bull team-mate Mark Webber, Vettel was seen twirling his index finger near his temple as if to indicate the Australian was mad for causing the shunt.

In Hungary, as the 23-year-old served a drive-through penalty, he shook his hands in frustration, seemingly towards the stewards for what he believed was a perceived injustice.

After the race, with the tv cameras capturing the scene, the FIA’s mild-mannered observer Herbie Blash was given a verbal dressing down by Vettel.

Then 12 days ago Vettel committed another mistake that resulted in him t-boning McLaren’s Jenson Button, underlining the point that the cracks are clearly beginning to show.

Asked as to his feelings he is now being portrayed as a bad boy, Vettel replied: “There are lots of things that get written and said.

“It is something you need to learn from, to deal with.

“Two or three years back I didn’t know what I might go through one day, and this is probably one of the stages when it is not the easiest time.

“But I have never really cared for what people think and say. I have always tried to look after myself.

“Obviously when you are the focus a lot of people care and you get good and bad comments for what you are doing.”

Ideally Vettel should be the driver in control of the championship after starting from pole in seven of the 13 races.

But only once has he converted that position into a victory, and in conjunction with his mistakes he trails championship leader Lewis Hamilton by 31 points ahead of Sunday’s Italian Grand Prix.

Vettel, though, concedes to being “happy with my performance,” but pertinently adding: “Obviously, we could have scored more points here or there.

“Sometimes the car was not good enough, not reliable enough, other times I have made some mistakes, which is normal, something you go through.

“It is a long season with some ups and downs, and everybody makes mistakes.

“In the end you have to make sure you are the one who makes the least mistakes.

“You try to do your best, to always get the optimum out of yourself and your car. The rest is out of your hands.”

Despite his position in the standings, and after the incidents at Spa – he also sustained a puncture by running over the front wing of a Force India – Vettel sees no reason to adopt a calmer outlook.

“I take the risks I can deal with,” said Vettel, who was quickest at the end of today’s two practice sessions at Monza.

“I have a very good car and a very good chance to win this race and that is what we have to focus on.

“Once you are in the car you are busy enough. The secret is to not think about too many things, to just focus on the moment.

“If I see a chance to overtake or a chance to win I will always go for it. It is just sometimes it doesn’t work. That is how it works in life.”