"I hope he regrets it" - Sebastian Vettel quitting F1 is 'a shame', feels Aston Martin boss

Aston Martin boss Mike Krack hopes Sebastian Vettel regrets leaving the team and retiring last season. The German retired quite early in his career as he felt that there wasn't a plausible path to the front of the grid.

Sebastian Vettel was, however, in top form and had a very strong season. He outperformed teammate Lance Stroll quite easily and was the sole reason why Aston Martin was able to climb up to P7 later in the season.

Talking to motorsport-magazin, Mike Krack commended Sebastian Vettel for the kind of season he put together. Having said that, Krack revealed it was a bit of a shame that Vettel retired and didn't have the faith in the team to continue.

The Aston Martin boss hoped Vettel will regret his decision when he sees the level at which the team performs this season. Answering whether Sebastian Vettel was in top form when he retired, Krack said:

"I think so, he tasted blood. When things went up in Singapore and Suzuka, you could tell he was happy. When you heard him on the radio, you knew right away that he was there. He was sharp, he was really in the flow. You noticed in the last few races that a car that gives you more feedback and better performance motivates you even more."

He added:

"I have to say: hats off! He had a tough time, often retired in Q1 and he never let his head down, always supporting the team and Lance. That was very exemplary. I'm glad he's where he is - but it's a shame he decided to retire. I hope he regrets it."

Krack expecting no adversity with Sebastian Vettel's replacement

Fernando Alonso will replace Sebastian Vettel at Aston Martin and the Spaniard comes to the team with a reputation that precedes him. When it was brought to Krack's notice that Alonso has outlasted all the team principals in his previous teams and if he was worried about the relationship with the driver, Krack brushed aside these suggestions and said:

"No, not at all. I think I'm a team leader who acts differently than others. I'm not looking for the media, I'm looking for the team. My only role is to be an element of the team. It is important to me to integrate Fernando there, that he is also part of the team. We are not opponents."

He added:

"Being part of the team also means being open and transparent with everything there is. We deal with it openly and transparently. If we can't do things, we tell him. When we decide to do things this way, we tell him openly and honestly and explain why. I think as long as we do it that way there won't be any problems."

Alonso as Vettel's replacement at Aston Martin should be interesting to follow, especially if we keep in mind the explosive personality of the Spaniard.