Sebastian Vettel, four-time F1 champion, published an official announcement about his retirement from the sport at the end of this season. The 35-year-old professional racing driver from Germany who has driven the single-seaters of BMW Sauber, Torro Rosso, Red Bull, Ferrari, and Aston Martin between 2007 and 2022, said he decided to leave the exciting world of Formula 1 as he wants to spend more time with his family.
The video was uploaded on Vettel’s new Instagram account which already has gathered close to 1 million followers, as well as on his official website. In an emotionally-charged and quite personal talk filmed in black and white in both English and German languages, Vettel explained the reasoning behind his decision to retire. He said that while Formula 1 has been at the center of his life for as long as he can remember, being a racer was never his only identity, as he is a “father of three children and husband to a wonderful wife”.
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The F1 driver admitted that he wants to spend time with his family, adding that “committing myself to Formula 1 as I have done in the past, as I see fit, and being a good father and husband no longer go together for me”. Vettel said that his goals have changed “away from winning races and fighting for championships towards my children. I want to see them grow up, pass on my values to them, listen to them and not have to say goodbye anymore. I want to learn from them and be inspired by them. Children are our future. There is so much to discover and learn. About life and about myself.”
Speaking about the future, Vettel shared his concern about people’s actions in the next few years that will “determine our future lives”. He admitted that “being a Formula 1 driver brings with it things that I no longer enjoy” adding that “perhaps these will be resolved at some point”.
The driver concluded that his best race is still ahead of him saying that he looks forward “to the unknown and new challenges”. While we don’t know if those challenges include his involvement with other types of motorsports, we sure hope he makes more appearances behind the wheel in the future. As a closing statement, Vettel said: “I believe there is always a race to win. Farewell and thanks for letting me share the route with you. I loved every meter of it.”
An Illustrious Career With Highs and Lows
Vettel made his Grand Prix debut as a 19-year-old in 2007 with BMW Sauber before moving to Scuderia Torro Rosso and eventually winning a seat in Red Bull Racing. There, he enjoyed his most successful years, winning the championship four consecutive times between 2010 and 2013 as a dominant figure in F1. In his six seasons with Red Bull (2009-2014), Vettel scored a total of 38 wins.
Then he spent six more years in Scuderia Ferrari (2015-2020) where he scored only 14 wins, missing the chance to add another championship to his collection despite finishing in the runner-up spot twice behind Lewis Hamilton. In 2021, Vettel made the move to Aston Martin, which would be the last stop of his career.
