Vettel: 10-race F1 champion would be just as worthy

Sebastian Vettel does not feel a 10-race championship would diminish the achievement of winning Formula 1’s drivers’ and constructors’ titles.

The coronavirus crisis has wreaked havoc upon the 2020 F1 schedule, forcing the opening nine races to be postponed with no racing set to take place for the foreseeable future.

F1 had been about to embark on a record-breaking 22-round campaign but it is now facing the prospect of a significantly-reduced calendar, despite ambitions plans to host between 15-18 races before the end of the year. 

According to Vettel, even if the completed season ended up consisting of just 10 events, he insists the eventual champion’s feat would not be devalued.

"I don't know how it would feel because we never had that sort of circumstance,” the four-time world champion said speaking from his home in Switzerland via video conference.

"Before we had less races in the past and more races today, but I don't think it makes a big difference.

"Obviously a season is a season, whether it's 10, 15 or 20, 25 races. So you still have to be the one that is most consistent. With less races, every race is more important, but the championship would still be the championship.

"So it's still a long way, and you know, each single race weekend is a long way. And races mean there will still be a lot of things to get right.

"I think at this stage, nobody really knows what to expect from this year, from this season," Vettel added.

"Maybe this season is going into part of next year as well. I don't know. So, lots of ideas, lots of options, but I think we have to have to be patient and wait."

If each season of the V6 hybrid era had been contested over 10 races, Vettel would have triumphed to titles with Ferrari in 2017 and 2018.