Sebastian Vettel retires with a restored reputation
Vettel’s career in Formula 1 floundered during his turbulent years at Ferrari. But as he now retires, people rightfully won’t remember him for that.
At one point in time, Sebastian Vettel’s Formula 1 career looked like it might end at its worst point.
In early 2021, Vettel was more immediately associated with his horrid run at Ferrari than his days of extreme success with Red Bull.
When he joined Ferrari in 2015, Vettel was poised to be the man who would return the Scuderia to glory, emulating the efforts of his hero and countryman, Michael Schumacher.
But, after six seasons in red, Vettel and Ferrari had no championships to their name. Instead, Vettel’s record was blemished.
In Azerbaijan 2017, he deliberately drove into Lewis Hamilton; in Germany 2018, he crashed all on his own; and in Canada 2019, he skidded across the grass and cost himself a race win.
In his final two years with Ferrari, Vettel was outscored and regularly outpaced by his younger and less-experienced teammate, Charles Leclerc.
For Vettel, the end of his Ferrari stint seemed like an unfortunate and uncomfortable fall from grace.
It was the first time he had fallen well short of expectations - after a career of defying them.
When Vettel first raced in Formula 1 in 2007 at 19 years old, he became the youngest-ever points scorer.
Just a year later, he was the youngest polesitter and race winner when he famously drove his Toro Rosso to victory at the soaking-wet Italian Grand Prix of 2008.
While Max Verstappen has surpassed many of those records, Vettel still remains the youngest world champion ever.
He was just 23 in 2010 when he won what became the first of four consecutive world titles.
When Vettel announced he was leaving Ferrari in 2020, there was legitimate speculation that he would retire.
His career was at its lowest point. His performances in 2019 and 2020 left a lingering feeling that perhaps he was passed his glory days.
But, Vettel decided to solider on, taking a shot on Aston Martin.
It would revitalize his career. Throughout his two seasons in the midfield, Vettel looked more like his younger self.
He beat teammate Lance Stroll in both 2021 and 2022 while also taking the team’s sole podium in Azerbaijan last year. Vettel should’ve had another podium in Hungary that year too (the team made an unfortunate fuel mishap).
Off-the-track, Vettel has also continued to win over more fans by proving just how much of a genuinely good guy he is.
He has been at the fore of activism about racism, LGBTQIA+ rights, and a green environment.
This - along with his Red Bull success and cheeky, uplifting attitude - is how people will remember Vettel.
While his career will forever have those turbulent times at Ferrari, Vettel has proved those years were not the beginnings of a downward spiral toward the end of his time in Formula 1.
Instead, he’s proved they were a small blotch on an otherwise spectacular, record-breaking, championship-winning career.
Danke Seb.