“You have to be true to yourself”: 4-time World Champion Sebastian Vettel might have stayed in F1 if Aston Martin won races

Sebastian Vettel admits that his F1 stay may be been extended if Aston Martin had a more competitive car on the grid. 

Vettel’s move to Aston Martin in 2021 had a lot of expectations from fans and pundits alike. He was a legendary driver who had an underwhelming stint with Ferrari and had joined a team with huge ambitions in the short run.

Ever since Lawrence Stroll took over team Silverstone in 2019, he did not hide the fact that his only goal was to win Titles. Having a 4-time World Champion at the helm of their lead car was an exciting move on paper. However, the German’s two years with the team have been very disappointing and he managed just one podium finish which came at the 2021 Azerbaijan GP.

Earlier this year, he felt that his time in F1 was up. Vettel announced that he would leave the sport at the end of the season. Over the years, he became a driver whose presence on the grid was extremely valuable. This wasn’t just because of his driving but because of his strong personality as well.

At last week’s Japanese GP, Vettel drove one of his best races with Aston Martin and battled long-time rival Fernando Alonso to the finish line to get P6 in the race. This led to people wondering if he made his retirement call too soon.

Also read: Why Sebastian Vettel doubts Aston Martin’s ambitions with 2-time world champion Fernando Alonso?

Does Sebastian Vettel regret his decision of announcing retirement from F1?

Vettel’s P6 finish in Japan was definitely one of the highlights of the rain-interrupted afternoon in Suzuka. Fans were so impressed by his performance that they voted him as driver of the day and wondered why someone who was still so good behind the wheel of an F1 car would want to leave the sport.

During an Aston Martin interview, he was asked if he would retire even if he was winning races and Championships. The 35-year-old did not have a clear answer to this but insisted that it was possible. However, he added that winning and competing at the front would definitely be something that would want to make one stay in the sport.

“Would I be retiring?” he replied. “If I had been very competitive over the last three or four years. Winning races, fighting for championships. Maybe winning another one? I might have come to the same decision.”

Also read: “The car canoed”: Jack Doohan reveals how Daniel Ricciardo crashed because of McLaren in Monaco

Leaving F1 was very tough, admits Vettel

Vettel’s best days in F1 were during his time with Red Bull. He won four consecutive World Championships with them from 2010-2013 and established himself as an all-time great of the sport.

In 2015, he moved to Ferrari and was labeled as someone would restore them to former glory. Unfortunately for him, this was an era when Mercedes was dominating the sport. In his six year stay at Maranello, he couldn’t win the Title and managed to get 14 race wins for the Scuderia.

As Vettel’s career progressed, he became more and more vocal about issues outside F1 that plague society. He’s been a huge advocate for LGBTQ+ rights and protecting the climate and this has earned him plenty of plaudits. Fans feel that F1 will miss the presence of someone like him.

“The decision to retire was a tough one, but I’ve been thinking about it for a while,” Vettel added. “I know how much commitment this sport requires, and I feel like it’s a good time to do other things.”

Whether Vettel will continue his racing career in other series’ is yet to be seen. But one thing is for sure, the entire Formula 1 paddock will be left with a huge hole after his departure come the end of the campaign.