Retired Formula One star Emerson Fittipaldi's new EF7 super car being unveiled at the Qatar Motor Show.
Retired Formula One star Emerson Fittipaldi says German driver Sebastian Vettel can nail the World Championship this year, saying Ferrari has impressed fans with their early season form.
Ferrari driver Vettel has won two Grands Prix out of three this season, collecting 68 points after races in Melbourne, Shanghai and Manama.
According Fittipaldi, the two-time Formula One champion from Brazil, Vettel has the edge going into round four of the season in Russia next week.
"Sebastian can win the world championship. He could do it. He has the potential and the form. If Ferrari can win, that will change things from Mercedes' (domination)," Fittipaldi said on the sidelines of the Qatar Motor Show last week.
"I think it is good to see Ferrari run so strong," the affable Miami-based Brazilian added.
Excerpts from a chat with the 70-year-old who was in Doha to showcase his new EF7 - the German-engineered and Italian-designed super car that was unveiled in Doha.
Question: You retired in 1980. What are the major differences in the F1 world from your time?
Answer: I see a big change in the aerodynamics and the safety measures for the drivers in this sport. The new Formula One cars are all carbon fiber. It is extremely safe now. The same material saved my life in a major crash that I had in my career. The body was all carbon fiber. The biggest change is the electronics. Now everything is controlled by electronics. Two years ago I drove the Lotus 2001. It was a fantastic car to drive. It was well balanced. The corners were so much fun - in the high speed corners, the mid-corners and the car retained its position beautifully.
Question: If you were a Formula One driver now, you would have loved driving these beasts?
Answer: Yes, absolutely. The cars now are very consistent and easy to drive but when (you need) to make a difference in the results, you have to be in the top four or five in the world. Only then you can be at the top of your sport. Having said that, I'd say I would have enjoyed driving these cars.
Question: What do you think about the top three drivers in the world?
Answer: If you look at the history of Formula One, every year there's been four or five or six guys with incredible talent and they continued in that fashion. If I had a team now, my number one option would be Fernando Alonso. He is the most complete driver. But you have other fantastic drivers too - Lewis Hamilton and Sebastian Vettel. Then that Australian kid Daniel Ricciardo. He is very good too. Then there is Felipe Massa from Brazil. He's very fast. These five of six guys are really good.
Question: What about Lewis Hamilton?
Answer: He's incredible. He can drive anything (laughs). You give him any car and he'd still be very fast. Skill-wise, he's at the top. In the beginning, he made mistakes but now he's very fast and he doesn't make mistakes. That's just incredible. He's very young. He's incredibly talented but (for him to break Michael Schumacher's record of GP wins), it all depends on his team. If his team is good, then sure. When you look at the history of the sport, nobody expected Schumacher to do so well. People said it was impossible - to win so many world championships - but he did.
Question: Who do you think will win the world championship in 2017?
Answer: Sebastian can win the world championship. He could do it. He has the potential and the form. If Ferrari can win, that will change things from Mercedes' (domination). I think it is good to see Ferrari run so strong.
Question: What kind of future do you see for yourself?
Answer: I always say that a man is like the two wheels of a bicycle. If you stop pedalling, you crash (smiles). I will continue pedalling and will continue racing for my life (smiles). I will be back in Doha to do the demonstration of the EF7 car later this year. This car is less than 1000 kilos and (has) 600 horsepower. It's going to be very fast. The weight-to-power ratio is extremely high. We are nearly the same with McLaren P1 GTR when it comes to weight-to-power ratio. They are 1000 in horsepower but they weigh 1700 kilos. I have 700 kilos less. It will be very fast. The cornering will be very fast.
