Sebastian Vettel won four consecutive F1 world titles with Red Bull between 2010 and 2013; the 35-year-old German will see out the final season of his career with Aston Martin; watch Vettel drive in the Hungarian GP live on Sky Sports this weekend
Last Updated: 28/07/22 11:43am
Sebastian Vettel will retire from Formula 1 at the end of the 2022 season
Four-time world champion Sebastian Vettel has announced he will retire from Formula 1 at the end of the 2022 season.
After making his debut in 2007, Vettel went on to win four consecutive world championships for Red Bull between 2010 and 2013, the first of which made him the sport’s youngest title winner.
The 35-year-old German, who spent six seasons with Ferrari after joining the Italian team in 2015, will see out the remainder of his final campaign with Aston Martin.
Vettel is currently third on the list of all-time Grand Prix winners with 53 victories, trailing only Lewis Hamilton and Michael Schumacher, while his 13 victories in 2013 leave him tied with Schumacher for the most wins in a season.
“The decision to retire has been a difficult one for me to take, and I have spent a lot of time thinking about it,” said Vettel, who confirmed his retirement in a video posted on Instagram on Thursday ahead of this weekend’s Hungarian GP.
Vettel became F1’s youngest world champion by winning the 2010 title
“At the end of the year I want to take some more time to reflect on what I will focus on next; it is very clear to me that, being a father, I want to spend more time with my family.”
Vettel, who is set to sign off at the season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix in November which will mark his 300th race, has become known for activism in the latter stages of his career.
Earlier in 2022, he was the first driver to announce that he would not race in Russia following the country’s invasion of Ukraine, while he recently became the first F1 driver to feature as a cover star of LGBTQ publication Attitude Magazine.
In his video posted on social media, Vettel added: “I love this sport. It has been central to my life since I can remember. But as much as there is life on track, there is my life off track too. Being a racing driver has never been my sole identity. I very much believe in identity by who we are and how we treat others rather than what we do.
“I believe in change and progress and that every little bit makes a difference. I am an optimist and I believe people are good. Next to racing, I have grown a family and I love being around them. I have grown other interests outside Formula 1. My passion for racing and Formula 1 comes with lots of time spent away from them and takes a lot of energy.
“Committing to my passion the way I did and the way I think it is right, does no longer go side by side with my wish to be a great father and husband. The energy it takes to become one with the car and the team, to chase perfection takes focus and commitment.
“My goals have shifted from winning races and fighting for championships to seeing my children grow, passing on my values, helping them up when they fall, listening to them when they need me, not having to say goodbye, and most importantly, being able to learn from them and let them inspire me.”
More to follow…
