After winning the title-decidingAbu Dhabi Grand Prix in2010, Vettel became theyoungest-ever Formula One World Drivers' Champion, aged 23. Vettel won his second and third championships in2011 and2012, dominating the former and winning the latter amidst a close title battle withFernando Alonso. Vettel set several records in2013, winning 13 Grands Prix—including athen-record nine consecutive victories—to claim his fourth consecutive title with Red Bull. After a winless2014 campaign, Vettel signed forFerrari, replacing Alonso to partnerKimi Räikkönen; he took several wins in hisdebut season, finishing third in the standings. Following another winless season in2016, Vettel emerged as the closest challenger toMercedes andLewis Hamilton, finishing runner-up in2017 and2018 after achieving several victories across both campaigns. Partnered byCharles Leclerc for2019, Vettel took the final win of his career at theSingapore Grand Prix before leaving Ferrari at the end of the2020 season. Vettel joined the recently establishedAston Martin in2021, where he scored his final podium finish at theAzerbaijan Grand Prix.
Vettel was born on 3 July 1987 inHeppenheim, West Germany,[2] to Norbert and Heike Vettel. He has one younger brother,Fabian, a racing driver, and two older sisters: Melanie, a dental technician, and Stefanie, a physiotherapist for children with disabilities.[3] Vettel suggested in an interview that he was "terrible" at school, but he passed hisAbitur at Heppenheim'sStarkenburg-Gymnasium [de] with a respectable grade.[4][5] His childhood heroes were "The three Michaels":Michael Schumacher,Michael Jordan andMichael Jackson. He mentioned that he wanted to be a singer like Jackson, but realised that he did not have the voice.[6] Vettel is also a fan ofthe Beatles, collecting several records, includingAbbey Road and his favourite song being "Drive My Car". In an interview onTop Gear, he stated that he is a fan of British comedy such asLittle Britain andMonty Python's Life of Brian.
Vettel begankarting at the age of three, and began racing in karts series in 1995 at the age of eight. He was accepted into theRed Bull Junior Team in 1998,[7] and won various titles, such as theJunior Monaco Kart Cup in 2001.
Vettel came second in the 2006 Formula 3 Euro Series.
Vettel was promoted totest driver for BMW Sauber in 2006, and participated in the2006 Formula 3 Euro Series, finishing as runner-up.[12] He also competed in the2006 Formula Renault 3.5 Series, where he finished first and second atMisano in his first two races. In the next round at Spa-Francorchamps, his finger was almost sliced off by flying debris following an accident, and he was expected to be out for several weeks.[13] Nevertheless, he managed to compete in the2006 Masters of Formula 3 atZandvoort the following weekend, where he finished in sixth place.[14]
Vettel became BMW Sauber's third driver at the2006 Turkish Grand Prix, when former incumbentRobert Kubica replacedJacques Villeneuve as second driver for the2006 Hungarian Grand Prix.[16] On his testing debut, Vettel set the fastest time in the second Friday free practice.[17] Vettel became the then-youngest Formula One driver to participate in a Grand Prix weekend at 19 years and 53 days.[18] He also set a record for collecting his first fine in nine seconds into his career, as Vettel exceeded the pitlane speed limit on the way to the track.[19] In his second testing session at the2006 Italian Grand Prix, he set the fastest time in both Friday practice sessions.[20]
Vettel was confirmed as BMW's test driver for2007. Following Kubica's crash at the2007 Canadian Grand Prix, Vettel was named his replacement at the2007 United States Grand Prix.[21] He started in seventh position and finished in eighth to become the then-youngest driver to score a point in Formula One.[22]
In the rain-affectedJapanese Grand Prix atFuji, Vettel worked his way up to third, behindLewis Hamilton and Red Bull Racing'sMark Webber, and seemed to be on course for his and the team's maiden podium finish. However, Vettel crashed into Webber undersafety car conditions, forcing both cars to retire. Webber said after the race: "It's kids isn't it. Kids with not enough experience – you do a good job and then they fuck it all up".[25] Vettel was initially punished with a ten-place grid penalty for the following race, but this was lifted after a spectator video onYouTube showed the incident may have been caused by Hamilton's behaviour behind the safety car.[26]
Vettel finished a career-best fourth a week later at theChinese Grand Prix, having started 17th on the grid while in mixed conditions.[27][28] He was tipped by Red Bull ownerDietrich Mateschitz as one of the sport's big future stars: "Vettel is one of the young guys with extraordinary potential [...] He is fast, he is intelligent, and he is very interested in the technical side."[29]
After four races of the2008 season, Vettel was the only driver to have failed to finish a single race, having retired on the first lap in three of them. At theMonaco Grand Prix, Vettel scored his first points of the season with a fifth-place finish, after qualifying 17th. Toro Rosso's technical director Giorgio Ascanelli explained that something changed at theEuropean Grand Prix inValencia: "Suddenly Vettel understood something about how to drive an F1 car quickly. It made a huge difference – not only to the speed he could unlock but also to his ability to do so consistently."[30]
At the wetItalian Grand Prix, Vettel became theyoungest driver in history to win a Formula One Grand Prix, aged 21 years and 74 days.[31] He led for the majority of the Grand Prix and crossed the finish line 12.5 seconds ahead ofMcLaren'sHeikki Kovalainen.[32] It would also be Toro Rosso's only win.[33] Earlier in the weekend, he had already become theyoungest pole-sitter.[34] Toro Rosso team bossGerhard Berger said: "As he proved today, he can win races, but he's going to win World Championships. He's a cool guy".[35] His victory led the German media to dub him "Baby Schumi".[36]
Vettel quickly became a championship contender after being promoted toRed Bull Racing in 2009.
At the start of the2009 season, Vettel replaced the retiredDavid Coulthard at Red Bull Racing. He began strongly at theAustralian Grand Prix, running in second for the majority of the race. However, a clash withRobert Kubica over second place in the latter stages forced both to retire.[38] He went on to take pole position and the race win atChinese Grand Prix; Red Bull Racing's maiden pole and win.[39]
Further wins followed inGreat Britain,Japan andAbu Dhabi.[40] He won the Japanese Grand Prix from pole position, leading every lap.[41] Vettel won the inaugural Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, the first ever day-night race, to finish second in the World Drivers' Championship standings behindJenson Button.[42] He also scored his thirdfastest lap of the year, drawing him level with teammateMark Webber. However, as Vettel had more second fastest laps, he won the 2009DHL Fastest Lap Award.[43]
InMonaco, Vettel made it a Red Bull 1–2 with him second and Webber first. Both were equal on points in the standings, with Webber first based on total wins.[48] At theTurkish Grand Prix, Vettel was running second behind Webber when he made a passing move on his teammate. The two collided, putting Vettel out of the race, with neither driver accepting responsibility for the collision.[49]
Vettel became the youngest World Drivers' Champion after winning the2010 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, a record which he still holds.
At theBritish Grand Prix, both Vettel and Webber's cars were fitted with a new front wing design. Vettel's wing was damaged in the third practice session, and Webber's sole surviving example was removed and given to his teammate.[50] Vettel qualified in first place, but suffered a puncture. He finished seventh while Webber took the victory. InJapan, he qualified on pole ahead of Webber and went on to win with a lights-to-flag victory. Aged 23 years and 98 days, Vettel became the youngest Grand Prix driver to win at the same track on two occasions.[8] At the inauguralKorean Grand Prix, Vettel led the first 45 laps before retiring with engine failure, handing victory to championship rivalFernando Alonso.[51]
With the 1–2 finish at theBrazilian Grand Prix, Vettel and Webber secured Red Bull Racing's firstWorld Constructors' Championship.[52] Vettel went into the final race of the season inAbu Dhabi with a 15-point deficit to Alonso and a 7-point gap to Webber.[53] He won the Grand Prix from pole to become the youngestWorld Drivers' Champion in the sport's history, as Alonso only finished in seventh place.[54] FollowingJohn Surtees in the1964 season andJames Hunt in1976, this was the third time in Formula One history that the title winner had not topped the championship table until after the last race.[55]
Vettel started the2011 season with wins inAustralia andMalaysia, before a second-place finish at theChinese Grand Prix due to poor tyre management, possibly related to his inability to properly communicate with his team, as his radio was broken.[56] InMonaco, Vettel led the race but due to another radio malfunction, the Red Bull pit crew was not prepared when he came in. Thepit stop was slow and he was sent out on the wrong tyres, handing the lead to Button. Vettel switched to a one-stop strategy and stuck with one set of soft tyres for 56 laps. He was caught by Alonso and Button as his tyres deteriorated, but neither were able to pass him.[57] The race wasred-flagged with few laps remaining, which allowed teams to change their tyres; when the race was restarted under the safety car, Vettel was able to retain the lead and win.[58]
Vettel became the youngest two-time World Driver' Champion in2011, clinching the title at theJapanese Grand Prix with four races remaining.
At theEuropean Grand Prix, theFédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA) enforced a ban on engine mappings. It was believed by some in the press that this was an attempt by the FIA to thwart Vettel's early domination.[59] Nevertheless, he took pole with the fastest qualifying lap inValencia Street Circuit's history. Vettel dominated with his firsthat-trick of 2011, and won his sixth race out of eight.[60] The FIA implemented another rule change at theBritish Grand Prix, targeting the blown diffusers. Red Bull believed the changes would cost them about half a second per lap.[61] During the race, Vettel held off Webber for second place, who ignored a radio message from team principalChristian Horner to hold position.[62] It was only the second time in the sport's history that a driver had finished second or higher in each of the first nine races of a season and won at least six of them.[63]
Vettel's run of fourteen successive front-row starts and eleven successive top two finishes ended athis home race, where he qualified third and finished fourth. InItaly, he took his tenth pole position of the year, in which he joinedAyrton Senna as the only driver to have taken ten pole positions in two separate seasons.[64] A podium finish inJapan secured his second successive title with four races remaining, making him the youngest ever double and back-to-back champion.[65] Vettel won the following race inKorea to become the second driver to take at least ten wins in a season after Michael Schumacher.[66] He also helped to secure Red Bull's second successive World Constructors' Championship.[67] Vettel took his eleventh victory of the season inthe inaugural Indian Grand Prix, leading every lap from pole position, as well as setting the race's fastest lap to claim his firstgrand slam.[68] Vettel broke the record for the most pole positions in a season at the season finale inBrazil, after he clinched his 15th pole of the year.[69] He completed the year with 15 poles, 11 victories, and 17 podiums from 19 races; Vettel also earned a record total of 392 points.[70]
2012: Triple World Champion following Alonso title duel
Vettel started the2012 season with a second place at theAustralian Grand Prix, before he finished outside the points inMalaysia following a collision with backmarkerNarain Karthikeyan. Vettel and Horner criticised Karthikeyan's driving, with Vettel calling him an "idiot",[71] and a "cucumber".[72] Karthikeyan hit back, calling Vettel a "cry baby".[73] Vettel crossed the line in first place at theBahrain Grand Prix to go top of the championship standings.[74] Three races without a podium place followed, before he retired at theEuropean Grand Prix after an alternator failure, dropping him to fourth in the standings.[75] InGermany, Vettel finished second behind Alonso but received a 20-second time penalty after the race, as he was off the track when he overtook Button; Vettel dropped back to fifth.[76] He started in 10th place but finished second inBelgium to climb up to second place in the championship.[77] Vettel then retired at theItalian Grand Prix due to an alternator failure, which saw the gap to leader Alonso grow to 39 points with seven races remaining.[78][79] He won next race inSingapore, as he kept the lead until the 2-hour race limit was reached.[80] At theJapanese Grand Prix he took his second career grand slam and coupled with Alonso's retirement, he cut the gap down to just four points.[81] After winning at theKorean Grand Prix, theIndian Grand Prix brought another victory, as Vettel topped all three practice sessions before taking pole position and leading every lap of the race to win.[82]
During qualifying at theAbu Dhabi Grand Prix, Vettel was told to stop the car due to a fuel pump issue; he was forced to start from the pit lane.[83] From last place, Vettel fought his way back to finish in third place.[84] He started the last race inBrazil with a 13-point cushion against Alonso.[85] On the opening lap, Vettel spun after an incident withBruno Senna. Following changing weather conditions, Vettel climbed up to finish in sixth place to win the championship by three points and to become the youngest ever triple world champion.[86] He also became the third driver to acquire three consecutive championships, afterJuan Manuel Fangio and Schumacher.[87]
2013: Record-breaking season earns fourth world title
Vettel (left) controversially overtook teammateMark Webber (right) for his first race win of the season at the2013 Malaysian Grand Prix, despite being given team orders to maintain position.
Vettel started the first two races of the2013 season on pole position, and at theMalaysian Grand Prix, he lapped over 2.5 seconds faster than teammate Webber in qualifying during a wet session.[88] He won the race, though not without controversy. Vettel ignored theteam orders and passed Webber for the lead. Webber was furious after the race and said that Vettel "will have protection as usual and that's the way it goes".[89] Team principal Horner, although unhappy with Vettel's actions, pointed out that Webber had defied team orders on several previous occasions. He acknowledged that the already fragile relationship between the two drivers had further broken down as a result of the incident.[90] Vettel claimed that he was not sorry for winning and that if the situation presented itself again, he would have passed Webber despite the order, adding that he felt Webber did not deserve to win the race.[91]
Following wins inBahrain andCanada, his championship lead was cut at theBritish Grand Prix as he was denied a likely win due to gearbox failure. Vettel bounced back to win his home race inGermany for the first time. After he finished third inHungary, Vettel won the last nine races of the season, including grand slams inSingapore andKorea. Vettel set the then-record for most consecutive race wins with nine and he became only the third man afterAlberto Ascari andJim Clark to take consecutive grand slams.[92] He sealed his fourth world title at theIndian Grand Prix;[93] before the race weekend, Formula One CEOBernie Ecclestone stated that Vettel was "probably the best [driver] we've ever had".[94] Vettel totalled 13 wins by the end of the season and a then-record 155 points over runner-upFernando Alonso.[95]
On several occasions during the season, spectators booed Vettel. The booing was widely condemned by fellow drivers, the media and others in the paddock,[96] and Vettel later revealed that it had a negative impact on him.[97]
For the2014 season and beyond, drivers picked a unique car number to use for the remainder of their Formula One career; Vettel chose the number five. However, as reigning World Drivers' Champion, he carried number one throughout the season.[98] Webber left the sport and was replaced byDaniel Ricciardo, who was promoted from Toro Rosso.
Vettel struggled with reliability issues throughout winter testing, which forced him to retire at the openingAustralian Grand Prix.[99] Reliability problems also forced Vettel to retire at theMonaco andAustrian Grands Prix. Vettel qualified on the front-row for the races inMalaysia,Great Britain andHungary, and finished on the podium in Malaysia,Canada,Singapore andJapan. After theRussian Grand Prix, he had been outqualified by a teammate over a season for the first time in his Formula One career. In addition to suffering reliability problems, throughout 2014 Vettel struggled to get to grips with theRed Bull RB10,[100] and thePirelli tyres.[101] He signed off the year by becoming the first defending champion to fail to win a race during a season sinceJacques Villeneuve in1998.[102]
In October, Red Bull had announced that Vettel would be leaving the team at the end of the season to joinScuderia Ferrari, one year before his contract was due to expire.[103]Daniil Kvyat was later selected as his replacement.[104] Vettel replaced Alonso and partnered his friend Kimi Räikkönen.[105] Vettel mentioned he would like to drive for Ferrari at some point in his career and was already rumoured in 2012 to have a non-binding pre-contract, with options, to join them in 2014.[106] He was denied an early release from his Red Bull contract to test the2014 Ferrari car inAbu Dhabi.[107] In spite of this, Vettel was present at the Ferrari test – although not driving the car – but Red Bull did not enforce any sanctions.[108] Vettel instead made his first appearance in November, completing nearly 100 laps in the2012 car around the test track ofFiorano.[109]
The next stage of my Formula 1 career will be spent with Scuderia Ferrari and for me that means the dream of a lifetime has come true... The Scuderia has a great tradition in this sport and I am extremely motivated to help the team get back to the top. I will put my heart and soul into making it happen.
Vettel made his Ferrari debut by finishing third in theAustralian Grand Prix.[111] He followed that up with winning theMalaysian Grand Prix,[112] his first race victory for over a year and the first win for Ferrari for almost two years. After the race, an emotional Vettel paid tribute to Schumacher, saying that his hero's achievements with Ferrari made the first win all the more special.[113]
He won theHungarian Grand Prix to remain a championship contender after he started from third on the grid. He dedicated his victory to the driverJules Bianchi, who died the week prior from injuries sustained in 2014.[114] At the halfway point of the season, Vettel was 42 points behind championship leader andMercedes driver Hamilton.[115] Vettel was in third place inBelgium when his right rear blew at high speed on the penultimate lap, likely ending any title chances given Hamilton's win. After the race, he ranted about the 'unacceptable' and 'unsafe' Pirelli tyres that could have caused him serious injury.[116]
Vettel came home second in theItalian Grand Prix, his first race with Ferrari at the team's home soil.[117] He then took his first pole with the team at theSingapore Grand Prix,[118] Ferrari's first pole for three years. Vettel went on to win the race, and with Hamilton retiring, he closed to within 49 points with seven races remaining.[119] Vettel ended the season in third place, however, with three wins and 13 podiums; he declared the season as a 'miracle'.[120]
After a third-place finish at the2016 Australian Grand Prix,[121] Vettel's participation inBahrain ended without starting as his car broke down on the formation lap.[122] At theChinese Grand Prix, Vettel collided with teammate Räikkönen on the first lap, but both were able to continue. He blamed Red Bull driverDaniil Kvyat for the collision, labelling him a "madman" and described his overtaking manoeuvre as "suicidal".[123] At theRussian Grand Prix, Vettel retired on the first lap after two consecutive collisions with Kvyat.[124] At theMexican Grand Prix, Vettel attempted to overtake Red Bull driverMax Verstappen, but after Verstappen ran off the track and rejoined ahead of him, Vettel verbally attacked him and race directorCharlie Whiting, for which he later apologised.[125] Vettel then blocked Red Bull's Ricciardo by moving in the braking zone, and was given a ten-second penalty and two points on his licence.[126] Although he achieved seven podium finishes during the season, Vettel did not win any races in 2016.[127]
Histhird season at Ferrari started with victory inAustralia, his first in 18 months.[128] The early form continued the following races, winning inBahrain andMonaco,[129][130] and finishing second inChina,Russia andSpain.[131] In Russia, Vettel took his first pole position in 18 months and with Räikkönen alongside him, Ferrari had their first front row lock out since the2008 French Grand Prix.[132] Vettel's lead at the top of the standings increased to 25 points after the Monaco Grand Prix, Ferrari's first victory at the circuit since Schumacher won there in2001.[130]
Vettel began competing for titles once again during the 2017 and 2018 seasons, rivallingLewis Hamilton, though ultimately never claiming the championship.
InAzerbaijan, Vettel collided into the rear of race leader Hamilton under the safety car, accusing Hamilton of brake testing him.[133] Moments later, Vettel pulled alongside and hit his Mercedes as they prepared for a restart, for which he received a ten-second stop-go penalty.[134] The FIA investigated the Vettel-Hamilton incident further, but Vettel received no punishment. Vettel took full responsibility, issuing a public apology and committing to devote personal time over the next 12 months to educational activities across a variety of FIA championships and events.[135]
Vettel's championship lead was cut to only a single point inGreat Britain, as he suffered a puncture on the penultimate lap and dropped to seventh place.[136] Vettel started from pole inHungary and maintained the lead. He overcame steering issues and held on for victory, which gave him a 14-point lead over Hamilton.[137] Mercedes dominated after the summer break and Vettel lost the championship lead at theItalian Grand Prix,[138] which was followed by a first-lap retirement inSingapore after collision with Räikkönen and Verstappen. It was the first time in Formula One history that both Ferraris retired from the first lap of a Grand Prix.[139] His title hopes were dealt another blow inMalaysia, as he started last following a turbo problem in qualifying. He finished in fourth place, but crashed with Williams'Lance Stroll on the cool-down lap; neither would be penalised.[140] More reliability issues befell Ferrari inJapan as Vettel retired due to a spark plug failure.[141] InMexico, Vettel became the fourth driver in Formula One history to claim 50 pole positions.[142] Verstappen took the lead from Vettel at the start, before Vettel collided with Hamilton, after which Hamilton won his fourth title.[143] For the first time in his career, Vettel failed to win the World Drivers' Championship having led it at some stage during a season.[144]
The2018 season was dubbed the "Fight For Five" by the media, as for the first time in Formula One history, two quadruple world champions lined up at the start of a season.[145] For the second consecutive year, Vettel began the season with victory inAustralia, after he took the lead while pitting under the virtual safety car.[146] It was his 100th podium, while he also became only the third man in Formula One history to have led 3,000 laps.[147] InBahrain, Vettel maintained the lead from pole through the first round of pit stops and held off Mercedes'Valtteri Bottas despite being on old soft tyres to take a fourth victory at the circuit.[148] At theChinese Grand Prix, he was hit by Verstappen in the latter stages of the race, which caused both to spin. Vettel limped home in eighth place, with his championship lead reduced to nine points.[149] For the first time since 2013, Vettel took three consecutive pole positions as he qualified in first place inAzerbaijan. It was the 23rd different Grand Prix at which he had taken pole position, equalling Hamilton's then-record.[150]
At theCanadian Grand Prix, Vettel won for the third time in 2018 and for the 50th time in his career, becoming only the fourth man to reach a half-century of wins.[151] The following race inFrance, Vettel lost the championship lead following a collision with Bottas.[152] He bounced back inGreat Britain, after he passed Bottas in the last laps to take victory.[153] Vettel led hishome race until he slid off the track and hit the wall in the latter stages as rain started to fall, as he had clipped the sausage curb a few laps before, breaking a part of his front wing, causing understeer and loss of downforce;[154][155] he won inBelgium, however, in which he passed Hamilton for the race victory.[156] Contact on the opening lap with Hamilton inItaly saw Vettel damage his front wing and drop to the back of the field, but he recovered to cross the finishing line in fourth place. It left Vettel 30 points behind the Mercedes driver with seven races left.[157] His championship hopes were dealt a further blow as Ferrari's upgrades introduced at theSingapore Grand Prix proved to be unsuccessful, making a step backwards on car development; Ferrari suffered a dip of form until theUnited States Grand Prix, where they reverted to their old package and successfully rediscovered their form.[158][159] Vettel claimed his first ever podium inMexico but the World Drivers' Championship went to Hamilton for a second consecutive year.[160] Although Mercedes had been the more consistent and better team,[161] fans and pundits criticised Vettel for making too many mistakes during the season.[162]
After showing impressive pace throughout pre-season testing inBarcelona, Vettel and his new teammateCharles Leclerc headed toAustralia with many pundits believing they had the car to beat for the2019 season.[163] The opening weekend proved to be difficult, however, as Vettel qualified some seven tenths off pole position in third and finished the race in fourth place.[164] Third-place finishes inChina andAzerbaijan followed, as Mercedes continued to dominate.[165] Vettel took pole position inCanada; his first pole in 17 races.[166] Midway through the race, a snap of oversteer caused him to run wide onto the grass. Vettel received a five-second time penalty from the stewards, who believed he had returned to the track "in an unsafe manner and forced [Hamilton] off track".[167] Vettel crossed the line in first place but lost his victory as a result of the penalty. After the race, he swapped the number one and two signs in front of Hamilton's Mercedes and the empty spot that was supposed for his own car, as Vettel parked his car at the start of the pit entry.[168] At theGerman Grand Prix, Vettel was unable to qualify after a turbo issue, which meant he would start in last place. During a race with mixed weather conditions, Vettel climbed up to second place.[169]
InItaly, Vettel spun at the Ascari chicane and when he re-entered the track, he made contact withRacing Point's Stroll. Vettel received a 10-second stop-go penalty and finished in 13th place.[170] At theSingapore Grand Prix, Vettel won on a circuit Ferrari were expected to struggle at. For the first time, Vettel had won five times at the same track.[171] The following race, inRussia, Vettel went from third place on the grid to first place in the first corner. However, radio transmissions suggested that the team wanted to swap their drivers, but with Vettel the quicker driver, he remained in front. Vettel retired soon after with a MGU-K problem.[172]
Vettel took pole position inJapan,[173] but an abrupt start off the line caused him to momentarily stop before getting away, which allowed Bottas to take the lead; Vettel was not penalized for his jump start.[174] After running in third at theBrazilian Grand Prix for the majority of the race, a safety car allowed Red Bull'sAlexander Albon and an aggressive Leclerc to overtake him. He tried to pass his teammate immediately but the two Ferraris collided, resulting in another retirement for Vettel.[175] He finished fifth in the World Drivers' Championship, and was outscored by a teammate for only the second time across a season.[176]
Ferrari later announced they would not extend Vettel's contract beyond the2020 season. Team principalMattia Binotto explained there was "no specific reason" for the decision, though both parties noted it was an amicable agreement.[177] The season was disrupted by theCOVID-19 pandemic as the first ten races of the original calendar were either rescheduled, postponed or cancelled altogether. Ferrari discovered problems on their car following pre-season testing, forcing them to make a major redesign.[178] The team would signCarlos Sainz Jr. as Vettel's replacement.[179]
TheSF1000 lacked pace as Vettel finished the season's opening race inAustria in 10th place.[180] During the weekend, he was also given a warning for breaching the FIA'sCOVID-19 protocols after he was seen mixing with members of his former team Red Bull.[181] The following race, at theStyrian Grand Prix, Vettel retired on the opening lap with rear wing damage following a collision with Leclerc.[182] He ended the season in a disappointing 13th place in the Drivers' standings, with a third place inTurkey as his best result.[183] Ferrari only finished sixth in the Constructors' standings, their worst result since1980, while Vettel's total of 33 points was the lowest in a full campaign in his Formula One career.[184][185]
Vettel joinedAston Martin for the2021 season, replacingSergio Pérez.[186] In his debut race weekend inBahrain, he received a grid penalty in qualifying, forcing him to start last. While Vettel started well, he had a collision withEsteban Ocon, giving him a time penalty and ended up finishing in 15th place. He received five penalty points on hissuperlicence.[187] Aston Martin team principalOtmar Szafnauer reported no concerns, owing to this being a very different car from the Ferrari, lack of laps in pre-season testing and a very impressive race start.[188] In the fifth race of the season, Vettel scored his first points for the team with a fifth-place finish inMonaco.[189] At the following race, theAzerbaijan Grand Prix, he claimed Aston Martin's first, and his final, podium with a second-place finish.[190] Vettel also finished second inHungary, but was later disqualified, after his car failed to provide the one litre sample of fuel required.[191] He ended the season in 12th place in the Drivers' standings, ahead of teammate Stroll.[192] During the season, Vettel made 132 overtakes—the most of any driver—and won the inauguralOvertake Award.[193]
Vettel missed the first two races of the2022 season inBahrain andSaudi Arabia after testing positive forCOVID-19; he was substituted by Aston Martin's reserve driverNico Hülkenberg.[194][195] In July 2022, Vettel announced his retirement from Formula One at the end of the 2022 season.[196] Vettel would score his last F1 career point at his 300th and final race atAbu Dhabi to end his final F1 season in 12th place in the standings.
Vettel's unexpected win at the2008 Italian Grand Prix led the media to dub him the "Baby Schumi". He was not just dubbed this for his nationality but also because of his driving style, his concentration and the hands-on role he plays behind the scenes with his team of engineers. Vettel played down the comparison stating he wanted to be the "New Vettel".[197]
Nevertheless, the similarities were marked. Like Schumacher, Vettel grew up in a small town with an everyday background—Schumacher's father is a bricklayer and Vettel's is a carpenter. Both had their first taste of racing at the Kerpen karting track near Cologne, not far from theNürburgring. Vettel began driving in his garden lapping the garden many times before he could legally take to the roads, and said his passion for cars was nurtured by watching Schumacher compete.[198]
After winning his first championship in 2010, and being hailed as the "Next Schumacher", Vettel stated he did not want to aim for Schumacher's record after learning how hard it was to get one championship under his belt, though he would like to win more.[199] In 2011, Pirelli directorPaul Hembery was impressed when Vettel was the only driver to take the time to visit the factory and talk to the tyre manufacturer to gain a better insight. "The only other driver that asks us a lot of questions is Michael Schumacher. It is like seeing the master and the protégé at work."[200]
After Schumacher was severely injured in a skiing accident in late 2013, Vettel was on hand to collect the Millennium-Bambi Award for Schumacher's life achievements on his behalf in 2014.[201] In 2014, Vettel cited Schumacher as one of his inspirations in becoming a Scuderia Ferrari driver: "When I was a kid, Michael Schumacher in the red car was my greatest idol and now it's an incredible honour to finally get the chance to drive a Ferrari."[202]
From his karting days, Vettel worked with helmet designer Jens Munser. At the age of eight, Vettel wantedSebastian the crab fromThe Little Mermaid on his helmet.[203] Vettel's original helmet in Formula One, like most Red Bull-backed drivers, was heavily influenced by the energy drink company logo. New to Vettel's helmet at the start of 2008 was the incorporation of the red cross shape of theKreis Bergstraßecoat of arms on the front, just underneath the visor, in honour of the region of his birthplace, Heppenheim.
After switching to Red Bull in 2009, Vettel regularly used a variety of new helmet designs. Some designs were small changes to his original Red Bull design, while others were completely new designs, such as the one he used at the 2010 Japanese Grand Prix: Vettel had a special white-red helmet design, with blackkanji andhiragana for "gives you wings". Several of his helmet designs also featured his team members.[204] At the 2012 Italian Grand Prix, Vettel celebrated his 50th helmet design with a 'rusty' matte look and 50 tallies, indicating his 50 helmet designs in Formula One.[205] Vettel started his 2013 campaign with a design in honour ofFelix Baumgartner, for his world recordRed Bull Stratos space jump in October 2012.[206] By the end of the 2013 season, he had used 76 different helmet designs throughout his career.[207]
For the 2017 Italian Grand Prix he changed the German flag stripe on his helmet to an Italian flag stripe in celebration of Ferrari's home race.[208] Following the death ofNiki Lauda, Vettel wore a special helmet based on Lauda's final Ferrari helmet at the2019 Monaco Grand Prix.[209] Vettel carried the German flag stripe design over to his helmet designs during his time at Aston Martin, with his final design for the 2022 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix nicknamed "The Final Lap".[210]
Inspired by American bomber pilots duringWorld War II, Vettel made it a tradition to name each of his cars in Formula One from2008 to2021, stating "it's important to have a close relationship with a car. Like a ship, a car should be named after a girl as it's sexy".[211]
Vettel was named Rookie of the Year at the 2008Autosport Awards. In 2009, Vettel was awarded theLorenzo Bandini Trophy, for his achievements in the 2008 season. He was also awarded the 2009British Racing Drivers' Club Johnny Wakefield Trophy for "setting the fastest race lap of the season on the Silverstone Grand Prix Circuit".[221] In 2010, Vettel was votedGerman Sportspersonality of the Year and won theAutosport International Racing Driver Award, which he also won in the following three years.[222] In January 2012, Vettel was honoured with the Grands Prix de l'Academie des Sports, and in February, he was further honoured with theSilbernes Lorbeerblatt, in recognition of his world titles and his "exemplary character".[223] Vettel was voted Formula One driver of the year in 2009,[224] 2011[225] and 2013[226] by the team principals, initiated by theAutosport magazine. He additionally won theDHL Fastest Lap Award in 2009, 2012 and 2013. He was named European Sportsperson of the Year by the International Sports Press Association in 2010,[227] and by thePolish Press Agency in 2012[228] and 2013.[229] Furthermore, Vettel was named theBBC Overseas Sports Personality of the Year in 2013. He was namedSportsman of the Year at the 2014Laureus World Sports Awards.[230] In 2015, he received the Confartigianato Motori Award for Driver of the Year.[231] After retiring from Formula One in 2022, Vettel received theAutosport Gregor Grant Award for his "achievement in motorsport".[232]
Red Bull Racing sponsorInfiniti released a Sebastian Vettel edition of theInfiniti FXSUV for 2012. It featured increased engine power, revised bodywork and lower suspension than the standard model.[233]
Vettel competed in the2007 Race of Champions atWembley Stadium, representing the German team alongside Michael Schumacher,[234] winning the Nations' Cup title. He also teamed up with Schumacher from2008 to2012, winning the Cup on every occasion.[9]
Vettel returned to the2015 Race of Champions, representing Germany together withNico Hülkenberg.[235] He won his first individual Race of Champions title that year, beatingTom Kristensen in the final.[236] Vettel and Hülkenberg finished runner-up in the Nations Cup.[9] In2017, Vettel was eliminated in the first heat for the individual competition,[237] but went on to win the Nations' Cup for Germany by himself with his seventh victory,[238] after his teammatePascal Wehrlein was injured earlier in a crash.[239]
In the2019 event, Vettel teamed up withMick Schumacher, where they finished runners-up in the Nations' Cup to the Nordic team of Kristensen andJohan Kristoffersson.[240] Vettel was eliminated in the group stages of the individual competition,[241] although he won the ROC Skills Challenge.[242] He reached the individual final in2022 but was beaten bySébastien Loeb.[243] He also competed into the2023 and2025 editions.
In May 2022, Vettel appeared on theBBC One political topical debate programmeQuestion Time to discuss a variety of issues includingclimate change,energy dependency, andBrexit.[251] The following month, Vettel appeared on the cover ofAttitude, voicing support for anLGBTQ driver competing in Formula One.[252] In June 2022, while participating in theCanadian Grand Prix, Vettel denounced Canada's mining of theAlberta oil sands by wearing a T-shirt and helmet patch calling it "Canada's climate crime".Alberta PremierJason Kenney called it "over-the-top hypocrisy" because Vettel's team, Aston Martin, is sponsored by petroleum companySaudi Aramco, which he said has "one of the worst climate-emissions records in the world".[253] Vettel agreed with the "hypocritical" label but said those personal attacks risk missing what he called the "bigger picture" of theclimate crisis.[254]
Vettel lives inThurgovia, Switzerland, amongst other racing drivers. Vettel has described himself as competitive, private and impatient. He also appeared in advertisements forHead & Shoulders,[256] and provided the voice of character Sebastian Schnell in the German dub of the 2011 filmCars 2,[257] and a voice command assistant in the German and Italian dubs of the 2017 filmCars 3.[258] Vettel is a fan ofGerman football teamEintracht Frankfurt.[259]
Vettel married childhood friend Hanna Prater at a private ceremony in early 2019;[260] they have three children.[261][262][263] In 2016,Forbes estimated that his annual income was $41 million.[264]Kimi Räikkönen, his teammate from 2015 to 2018, is a close friend.[265] Besides his native German, Vettel speaks English, French, and Italian.[266][267] In July 2022, he created hisInstagram account,[268] having long eschewedsocial media.[269] Vettel's first Instagram post was to announce his retirement from Formula One at the end of the 2022 season.[270]
Vettel has spoken the normality of self-doubt in professional sport and has criticised the stigma around discussing mental health, noting that discussions of mental health should be treated as openly as discussions of physical health.[271]
† Did not finish, but was classified as he had completed more than 90% of the race distance. ‡ Half points awarded as less than 75% of race distance was completed.
^"Kimi hurmasi Vettelin – yksi piirre ylitse muiden" [Kimi charmed Vettel – one of his personality traits stands out above the others].Iltalehti (in Finnish). 16 April 2012.Archived from the original on 30 June 2017. Retrieved28 November 2017.
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