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When Sebastian Vettel Bought Pillows for the Entire Aston Martin Team, Bernie Collins Recalls

Somin Bhattacharjee
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VETTEL Sebastian (ger), Aston Martin F1 Team AMR22, portrait during the Formula 1 Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix 2022

Sebastian Vettel, once a fierce competitor in F1 with four consecutive World Championships to his name, gained a wave of new fans later in his career by revealing a kinder and more compassionate side to his character. In one such instance, Vettel’s small but heartwarming gesture won over the hearts of everyone on his team.

Bernie Collins revealed how Vettel went ahead and bought pillows for everyone working at Aston Martin because the ones at their hotel in Japan were very uncomfortable. “…the little rice pillows they use in that part of the world. They’re very small and uncomfortable by our standards,” the ex-strategist, who worked with Vettel, revealed in her book ‘How to Win a Grand Prix’.

“One of our [Aston Martin] drivers went out and bought everyone a roll-up travel pillow. That was really good – and typical of Seb. I’ve kept my pillow and bring it with me each time I go to Japan,” she added.

Vettel has frequently emphasized the importance of kindness towards those around him, and his actions spoke volumes in this regard. During his time with Aston Martin, he became a vocal advocate for several social issues he felt were impacting society.

He raised awareness about climate change and the urgent need to protect the environment, while also partnering with Lewis Hamilton to support the ‘Black Lives Matter’ movement and LGBTQ+ rights.

Aston Martin was Vettel’s final team in F1. He joined the Silverstone-based outfit in 2021 after spending seven seasons with Ferrari and retired from the sport after the 2022 campaign.

Post Edited By:Vidit Dhawan

About the author

Somin Bhattacharjee

Somin Bhattacharjee

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Formula 1 Editor Somin Bhattacharjee fell for the sport as well as Fernando Alonso on the same day — during the Spaniard’s thrilling victory at the German GP in 2010. Over the years, the passion magnified manyfold, and metamorphosed into a writing career in 2021. Though holding a bachelor's degree in marketing, Somin discovered his true calling in writing. He has penned over 2,700 articles for TheSportsRush, presenting a diverse range — news reports, opinions, and exclusives. A true Tiffosi, Somin never gives up on a chance to defend the Ferrari boys as a fan. As a sports writer though, he remains objective to the core and relishes opportunities to follow and engage in dissecting the action during races. That’s where the real thrill lies for him. Beyond the racetrack, Somin plays different sports including soccer. He enjoys exploring other sporting events and proudly supports Spanish soccer club Real Madrid.

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