Sebastian Vettel was arguably the most dominant driver in F1 during his Red Bull stint. Between 2010 and 2013, he won four consecutive world championships and broke several records on his way to establishing his legacy as one of F1’s finest.
However, the Vettel we know today is very different from the character we saw during his peak Red Bull days. Over the years, he went on to become one of the most adored figures in the sport, but that wasn’t the case previously. Red Bull team principal Christian Horner, who worked closely with him, said that with age, people began to understand him better.
27 OCTOBER, 2013: 🇮🇳
Sebastian Vettel wins in India – and clinches the title with three races to spare
A four-time world champion at the age of 26 🏆🏆🏆🏆
And only the third driver in history to win four consecutive titles #F1 #OnThisDay @redbullracing pic.twitter.com/kMWRaO2lMQ
— Formula 1 (@F1) October 27, 2020
According to Horner, Vettel didn’t express himself properly during his younger F1 days, which led to people misunderstanding him. As he grew older, he got more comfortable with being himself, and he went on to become one of the most loved drivers.
Fans loved Sebastian Vettel because of his values
Over the last few years, Vettel became well-known for his activism and for speaking out against the various issues that are affecting society. He is a huge advocate for protecting the environment, and also stood next to Lewis Hamilton during his campaign against social injustice.
Horner feels that when people began to see this particular side of Vettel, they realized how good he was as a person. This ‘character’ made people fall in love with him, and he retired as one of the most beloved drivers in F1.
Sebastian Vettel says his feelings about renewable energy and climate change do make him question his position as a Formula 1 driver.
— Sky Sports News (@SkySportsNews) May 13, 2022
“People seeing his character and his values,” said Horner in the Talking Bull Podcast. “And they began to love that and he became hugely popular by the end of his career.”
Vettel tipped to make return to F1 with Red Bull
Midway into the 2022 season, Vettel announced that he would retire from F1 at the end of the campaign. His retirement left behind a huge hole in the F1 paddock because of how loved he was, but now there are rumors about him returning soon.
Many people have pointed out that Vettel possesses great leadership qualities, and after his retirement, fans started calling for him to make a return as a team principal. While returning as a team boss may not be on the cards right now, Vettel joining a team in some managerial role is possible.
Red Bull’s chief advisor Helmut Marko addressed rumors about the 35-year-old taking his place in the team. While he did admit that they are in contact, Marko revealed that Vettel is not ready to return to the busy schedule of F1 just yet, for the amount of money he will be offered.
