Vettel Began Considering Retirement Years Ago, Informed Aston Martin Yesterday

Sebastian Vettel ahead of the Hungarian Grand Prix weekend. 

IMAGO / Marco Canoniero

Sebastian Vettel, one of Formula One’s greats, announced on Thursday that he will be retiring at the end of the season, but it was not a decision he made quickly. 

“The timeline takes us years back,” the Aston Martin driver said. “It’s not a decision I took overnight. The final decision was taken yesterday, by telling the team that I am going to stop and I am not going to continue, but there was a lot of thought leading into this, so yes, I think it’s the right time for me to do other things.”

The 35-year-old made his announcement on his newly launched Instagram account, and in a heartfelt video, he detailed how he is more than a racing driver and cited that how his goals have shifted. 

“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,” Vettel explained on Instagram. “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.” 

During Thursday’s media sessions hours after the news broke, the four-time world champion elaborated.

“It means also a lot of time spent in your head, in your thoughts, but also physically away from home, from the kids, family, and I have grown other things. Other than the children are growing, it’s other interests and views and I cannot ignore these voices.

“So ultimately, yes, I think the questions got bigger and bigger and more central to a point that I made the decision. It’s not a 100% or 0% decision—it’s not like I hate racing from now on; I still love racing—but it’s probably the majority that pulls me into a different direction. I’m not making way, because it’s my decision, but I’m happy to head into a different direction.”

Vettel will leave a significant legacy, statistically, when he departs at the end of the 2022 campaign—four world championships (’10 to ’13), 53 race wins and 122 podiums. However, his impact extended beyond the track as he spoke out for equality, justice and safety. He also spoke out about environmental matters, which did partially influence his decision, and human rights issues. 

His impact can be seen through the social media outpour from fans and remarks from the other 19 drivers on the grid throughout Thursday’s media sessions. 

With 10 more Grands Prix to go, Vettel isn’t worried about being motivated. 

“I don’t see that I’ll have a trouble motivating myself for the next 10 races,” he said. “I feel a little bit the opposite. I feel that obviously this decision has been in my head for so long now and has taken so much energy, to be honest, and maybe even at times distracted me a little bit, that I’m quite relieved and looking forward to the next races.”