After 15 years in F1, Sebastian Vettel thought after seeing Max Verstappen whether he should really continue in the sport

Sebastian Vettel had a glorious career in F1. With four titles and 53 wins, his legacy stands apart. He will surely be remembered as one of the best race drivers of all time.

Even at 35, he had enough skillset to prolong his F1 career. But the German race driver decided to end his glorious run and depart from the F1 grid.

Moreover, Vettel wasn’t going to get a stint with a top team as his championship days were past him. So extending his career in mediocracy after dominating F1 for years could have pushed Vettel to end things.

Though Vettel’s environmental activism is surely a drive to end his time in the sport, the German came live immediately after his last race to talk about his new initiative. He also repeatedly acknowledged his work’s harm to the planet and didn’t want to contribute further.

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Is Max Verstappen another reason for Sebastian Vettel leaving?

Max Verstappen is the red-hot sensation in the sport right now. Winning two-world titles in a row, he has the whole world at his feet. Verstappen is a rare special talent, and what he does on the track made Vettel question whether he should continue.

“It’s really rare in my time in these 15 years, that someone comes along. That makes you think: Wow, now I don’t know if I could do that,” said Vettel to Servus TV on Verstappen’s driving ability.

Vettel also talked about how Verstappen has impeccable control over the car. Unlike others, the Dutchman manages to read conditions and can do things. The four-time champion admitted that he could only bow to his successor at Red Bull with little envy.

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Will Vettel ever return?

For Vettel to return as a racing driver in F1, as Michael Schumacher did by coming out of retirement and racing for the next three years, is out of the question for the German.

He has admitted that he can return to F1 in another role. Several former drivers have joined teams as advisors, and so can be done by Vettel. However, he also said it would be really awkward to be in the paddock and not driving.

As of now, Vettel wants to spend time with his family. The 35-year-old is keen on making up for the lost time with his children, which he missed by dealing with the hectic travelling schedule of F1.

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About the author

Tanish Chachra

Tanish Chachra is the Motorsport editor at The SportsRush. He saw his first race when F1 visited India in 2011, and since then, his romance with the sport has been seasonal until he took up this role in 2020. Reigniting F1's coverage on this site, Tanish has fallen in love with the sport all over again. He loves Kimi Raikkonen and sees a future world champion in Oscar Piastri. Away from us, he loves to snuggle inside his books.

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