Sebastian Vettel

Sebastian Vettel
Born	(1987-07-03) July 3, 1987 Heppenheim, West Germany
Occupation	Formula One racing driver (retired)
Years active	2006–2022
Known for	Four-time Formula One World Drivers' Champion

Sebastian Vettel (born 3 July 1987) is a retired German Formula One competitor who raced professionally from to . He secured four successive World Drivers' Championship crowns between and while driving for Red Bull, becoming the youngest driver ever to claim the World Championship. Across a career spanning 16 seasons, Vettel achieved 53 Grand Prix wins.

Originating from Heppenheim, Vettel began karting at the age of eight and captured the junior direct-drive Karting European Championship title in 2001. He progressed through various junior racing categories, dominating the Formula BMW ADAC series in 2004 by winning 18 out of 20 races. Moving up to the Formula 3 Euro Series, he finished second overall in 2006. Serving as a BMW Sauber test driver in , Vettel made his Formula One debut at the 2007 United States Grand Prix. Midway through , he took over from Scott Speed at Toro Rosso, maintaining his seat for , where he earned his first pole position and victory at the Grand Prix, becoming the youngest driver to win a race at that time. Elevated to Red Bull in , Vettel secured multiple victories and ended the season as championship runner-up to Jenson Button.

Vettel captured his inaugural world title at the Grand Prix in , setting a record as the youngest World Champion at just 23 years old. He dominated the following season in 2011 and narrowly defended his title in 2012 against Fernando Alonso. In 2013, Vettel set a new benchmark with nine consecutive race wins on his way to securing his fourth championship. After an unsuccessful 2014 campaign without wins, he moved to Ferrari, replacing Alonso and partnering with Kimi Räikkönen. Vettel achieved several victories and finished third in his first season with Ferrari but encountered difficulties during 2016. He emerged as Mercedes’ main challenger in both 2017 and 2018, finishing second in the championship each year while collecting multiple wins. In 2019, alongside teammate Charles Leclerc, Vettel recorded his final career victory at the Grand Prix before leaving Ferrari after the conclusion of . Subsequently, he joined Aston Martin for , where he attained his last podium finish at the Grand Prix.

Following the conclusion of the season, Vettel announced his retirement, ranking fourth all-time in race wins (53), pole positions (57), fastest laps (38), and third for total podium appearances (122). Outside of Formula One, he won the individual title at the Race of Champions in 2015 and played a key role alongside Michael Schumacher in Germany’s six consecutive Nations' Cup triumphs between 2007 and 2012. Since 2023, Vettel has been co-owner of the German SailGP Team and is actively engaged as an advocate for environmental and climate issues.

Early life

Sebastian Vettel was born on 3 July 1987 in Heppenheim, West Germany, to parents Norbert and Heike Vettel. He has a younger brother, Fabian, who is also involved in racing, along with two older sisters: Melanie, who works as a dental technician, and Stefanie, a physiotherapist specializing in care for children with disabilities. Vettel has described himself as "terrible" academically but successfully completed his Abitur at Heppenheim’s , achieving commendable results. During his childhood, he admired "The three Michaels": Michael Schumacher, Michael Jordan, and Michael Jackson. Although initially aspiring to become a singer like Jackson, he later accepted that singing was not his strength. Additionally, Vettel is an enthusiast of the Beatles, owning records such as Abbey Road, with "Drive My Car" being his favorite track. In an interview on Top Gear, he expressed fondness for British humor, mentioning shows like Little Britain and films such as Monty Python's Life of Brian.

Karting

Starting karting at just three years old, Vettel began competing in kart championships by 1995 when he was eight. He became a member of the Red Bull Junior Team in 1998 and secured several titles, including winning the Junior Monaco Kart Cup in 2001.

Formula BMW

In 2003, Vettel advanced to open-wheel racing and tested a Reynard Champ Car at Homestead–Miami Speedway. The following year, he dominated the Formula BMW ADAC series by winning 18 out of 20 races to claim the championship.

Formula Three and Formula Renault

During 2005, Vettel competed with ASL Mücke Motorsport in the Formula 3 Euro Series, finishing fifth overall and earning the Rookie Cup title. His strong performances led to test opportunities with Williams and BMW Sauber Formula One teams.

In 2006, Vettel took on the role of BMW Sauber's test driver while finishing second in the Formula 3 Euro Series standings. He also participated in the Formula Renault 3.5 Series, winning his first two races before a Spa-Francorchamps injury briefly halted his progress. Upon recovery, he placed sixth at the Masters of Formula 3 event held at Zandvoort.

Continuing in the Formula Renault 3.5 Series in 2007, Vettel claimed victory at the Nürburgring and was leading the championship before being permanently promoted to BMW Sauber's Formula One squad.

2006: Test Driver Role

After Robert Kubica replaced Jacques Villeneuve, Vettel joined BMW Sauber as their third driver at the 2006 Turkish Grand Prix. On his debut test session, he recorded the fastest time during Friday’s second free practice, becoming the youngest driver ever to participate in a Grand Prix weekend at 19 years and 53 days old. Early in his career, he was penalized for exceeding the pit lane speed limit by nine seconds. At the 2006 Italian Grand Prix, Vettel again topped both Friday practice sessions.

2007: Race Debut

Vettel was confirmed as BMW’s test driver for , but following Kubica’s crash at the 2007 Canadian Grand Prix, he replaced him for racing duties. Making his first race appearance at the 2007 United States Grand Prix, he started seventh and finished eighth, becoming the youngest points scorer in Formula One history.

2007–2008: First Victory and Rising Profile

In July 2007, BMW released Vettel to join Red Bull’s Scuderia Toro Rosso team, where he replaced Scott Speed starting from the 2007 Hungarian Grand Prix, as he was already contracted with Red Bull Racing.

At the rain-impacted event at Fuji, Vettel advanced to third position behind Lewis Hamilton and Red Bull Racing’s Mark Webber, poised to secure both his and Toro Rosso’s inaugural podium finish. However, under safety car conditions, he collided with Webber, causing both drivers to retire from the race. Webber criticized Vettel’s lack of experience. Initially handed a ten-place grid penalty for the subsequent race, this sanction was later revoked after video evidence indicated Hamilton’s involvement contributed to the incident.

Vettel achieved a career-best fourth place at the , starting from 17th on a track with mixed weather conditions. Red Bull owner Dietrich Mateschitz praised him as a future star due to his speed, intelligence, and technical acumen.

During his first four races in , Vettel failed to finish any, retiring on three occasions during opening laps. He earned his first points with a fifth-place finish at after qualifying 17th. Toro Rosso’s technical director Giorgio Ascanelli highlighted a turning point at Valencia where Vettel enhanced both his pace and consistency.

At a wet , Vettel became Formula One’s youngest Grand Prix winner at 21 years and 74 days old. Leading most of the race, he finished 12.5 seconds ahead of McLaren’s Heikki Kovalainen. This victory remains Toro Rosso’s sole win to date. Earlier that weekend, he also set a record as the youngest driver ever to secure pole position. Team principal Gerhard Berger forecasted multiple World Championships for Vettel, describing him as "a cool guy." Following this triumph, German media dubbed him "Baby Schumi."

Vettel was honored as 2008 Rookie of the Year at the Autosport Awards.

2009: Title Contender

Vettel joined Red Bull Racing at the outset of the 2009 season, taking over from the retired David Coulthard. He made an immediate impact at the , maintaining second place for much of the race until a collision with Robert Kubica forced both drivers to retire. Vettel then earned pole position and secured Red Bull Racing's inaugural victory at the Grand Prix.

He continued his strong form with wins in Great Britain, Japan, and Abu Dhabi. At the Japanese Grand Prix, Vettel dominated by leading every lap from pole. He also triumphed in the first-ever Abu Dhabi Grand Prix and finished as runner-up in the World Drivers' Championship behind Jenson Button. Additionally, Vettel matched teammate Mark Webber with three fastest laps during the season but clinched the 2009 DHL Fastest Lap Award due to having more second-fastest laps.

2010: Youngest World Champion

Vettel began the 2010 campaign by claiming pole position at the , where he led most of the race before a spark plug issue dropped him to fourth place. He was appointed director of the Grand Prix Drivers' Association and secured his first victory of the year in Malaysia.

At Monaco, Vettel finished second behind teammate Mark Webber; both drivers were tied on points, though Webber held more wins. During the , a collision between Vettel and Webber while contesting position ended Vettel’s race, with neither driver accepting fault.

Qualifying first at the , Vettel finished seventh after suffering a puncture, while Webber took victory. He then achieved pole position and a lights-to-flag win at the , becoming the youngest driver to win twice at a single circuit at 23 years and 98 days. Leading most of the inaugural Grand Prix, he retired due to engine failure, handing victory to competitor Fernando Alonso.

A one-two finish for Vettel and Webber at the secured Red Bull Racing’s first World Constructors' Championship. Heading into the final race in Abu Dhabi trailing Alonso by 15 points and Webber by seven, Vettel won from pole to become Formula One’s youngest World Drivers' Champion, while Alonso finished seventh. This achievement marked only the third occasion a champion overcame rivals in standings after the final race, following John Surtees () and James Hunt ().

2011: Commanding Second Title

The 2011 season commenced with Vettel winning in both Australia and Malaysia. He then finished second in China after encountering tyre management difficulties and radio issues. At Monaco, despite radio failures causing a slow pit stop and incorrect tyre selection, Vettel executed a one-stop strategy, fending off Alonso and Button to win following a late red flag that permitted tyre changes under safety car conditions.

At , after an FIA ban on engine mappings thought to curb Vettel’s dominance, he claimed pole with Valencia's fastest qualifying lap ever and secured his sixth victory out of eight races. The FIA’s subsequent prohibition on blown diffusers before the was anticipated to reduce Red Bull’s lap times considerably. Vettel finished second behind teammate Webber, who defied team orders to maintain position. By this stage, Vettel had achieved six wins and podium finishes in all nine opening races—a rare accomplishment in F1 history.

His run of fourteen successive front-row starts and eleven top-two finishes ended at his home event in Germany, where he qualified third and finished fourth. In Italy, he earned his tenth pole position of the season, joining Ayrton Senna as one of only two drivers to record ten poles in two different seasons. A podium finish in Japan secured his second consecutive championship with four races remaining, making him the youngest double world champion.

Vettel won again in Korea, becoming only the second driver after Michael Schumacher to reach ten victories in a single season. His efforts also helped Red Bull secure their second straight World Constructors' Championship. At the inaugural Indian Grand Prix, Vettel led every lap from pole and set the fastest lap en route to his first grand slam. He set a new record for most poles in a season with 15 during the Brazilian finale.

Concluding 2011 with 15 poles, 11 wins, 17 podiums from 19 races, and a record-breaking total of 392 points, Vettel firmly established himself as Formula One’s leading driver while reinforcing Red Bull Racing’s dominance within the sport.

2012: Achieving a Third Consecutive World Championship

The 2012 campaign started with Vettel securing second place at the Australian Grand Prix, but he failed to earn points in Malaysia after an incident involving backmarker Narain Karthikeyan, which drew criticism from both Vettel and Red Bull’s team principal Christian Horner. Vettel then triumphed in Bahrain, ascending to the top of the championship leaderboard. Although he experienced a sequence of three races without podium finishes and suffered an alternator malfunction during the European Grand Prix that dropped him to fourth in the standings, he maintained his position as a championship favorite.

During the German Grand Prix, Vettel crossed the line in second place but was penalized 20 seconds for overtaking off the track, resulting in a demotion to fifth. He bounced back with a runner-up spot in Belgium, moving up to second overall. Another alternator failure at the Italian Grand Prix extended Fernando Alonso’s lead to 39 points; however, Vettel responded by winning in Singapore, Japan—where he secured his second career grand slam—Korea, and India, significantly narrowing the points deficit.

At Abu Dhabi, a fuel pump problem forced him to begin from the pit lane, yet he managed to recover and finish third. Entering the final round in Brazil with a 13-point advantage over Alonso, Vettel spun early but adapted skillfully to shifting weather conditions to finish sixth. This performance clinched his 2012 World Championship by a margin of three points, making him the youngest driver ever to claim three consecutive titles and only the third driver after Juan Manuel Fangio and Michael Schumacher to achieve such a feat.

2013–2014: Record-breaking Achievements and Exit from Red Bull

Vettel launched the 2013 season with strong performances, earning pole positions in the opening two races and outqualifying teammate Mark Webber by more than 2.5 seconds at the rain-affected Malaysian Grand Prix. He won that race despite controversially defying team orders by overtaking Webber for the lead, further straining their already tense relationship. Team principal Christian Horner acknowledged that both drivers had previously disregarded team instructions.

Following victories in Bahrain and Canada, Vettel’s championship advantage diminished due to a gearbox failure at the British Grand Prix. He recovered by claiming his first home win in Germany and, after finishing third in Hungary, dominated the remainder of the season with nine consecutive victories. This winning streak included grand slams in Singapore and Korea, establishing a new record for successive wins and placing him alongside Ascari and Clark as one of only three drivers to achieve consecutive grand slams.

Vettel secured his fourth world championship title at the Indian Grand Prix. Formula One CEO Bernie Ecclestone praised him as "probably the best driver we’ve ever seen." Despite this success, Vettel encountered booing from spectators at several events—a situation he admitted was disheartening—though such criticism was widely condemned within Formula One circles.

For 2014, Vettel selected car number five but competed under number one as defending champion. With Webber’s retirement, Daniel Ricciardo joined Red Bull as his new teammate. Early in the season, Vettel faced reliability challenges leading to retirements in Australia, Monaco, and Austria. Although he qualified near the front and earned podium finishes in Malaysia, Canada, Singapore, and Japan, Ricciardo outqualified him for the first time in Vettel’s career. Additionally, Vettel struggled to adjust to the Red Bull RB10 chassis and Pirelli tires.

In October 2014, Red Bull revealed that Vettel would depart prematurely to join Scuderia Ferrari, replacing Fernando Alonso alongside Kimi Räikkönen. Vettel had previously shown interest in Ferrari and was rumored to have signed a non-binding pre-contract as early as 2012. While Red Bull refused an early release that would allow him to test Ferrari’s 2014 car directly, they permitted him to attend testing sessions without driving. His initial appearance with Ferrari came in November when he completed laps at Fiorano using their 2012 car.

2015–2016: Regaining the top podium position

Vettel's introduction to Ferrari saw him finish third at the season opener. He then clinched victory at the , breaking a winless streak of over a year for himself and delivering Ferrari’s first triumph in nearly two years. This success was dedicated to his hero Michael Schumacher, highlighting its importance.

Starting from third, Vettel won the , dedicating that triumph to Jules Bianchi. By mid-season, he was 42 points behind Mercedes' Hamilton in the championship standings. His title challenge ended abruptly due to a tyre failure at the , which sparked criticism regarding the safety of Pirelli tyres.

At Ferrari’s home race, Vettel secured second place and later achieved Ferrari's first pole position in three years during the 2015 Singapore Grand Prix, which he converted into a win. With Hamilton retiring from that race, Vettel narrowed the points deficit to 49 with seven rounds remaining. He concluded 2015 third overall, having amassed three victories and thirteen podium finishes, describing it as a "miracle" campaign.

In 2016, Vettel began with a third-place finish at the 2016 Australian Grand Prix but failed to start in Bahrain due to mechanical problems. During the , he collided with teammate Räikkönen; both drivers continued, though Vettel attributed the incident to aggressive driving by Red Bull’s Daniil Kvyat. Subsequent clashes with Kvyat led to an early retirement in Russia.

At the , Vettel was involved in a contentious collision with Max Verstappen and later impeded Daniel Ricciardo under braking, resulting in a ten-second penalty and license points deduction. Despite achieving seven podiums throughout 2016, Vettel did not record any wins that season.

2017–2018: Championship clashes with Hamilton

Vettel’s 2017 campaign opened with victory in Australia, ending an 18-month win drought. Early in the season, he secured wins in Bahrain and Monaco, along with runner-up finishes in China, Russia, and Spain. His pole position in Russia marked his first in 18 months and contributed to Ferrari’s initial front-row lockout since 2008. After winning Monaco, Vettel led the championship by 25 points, delivering Ferrari’s first triumph at that circuit since 2001.

During the Azerbaijan event, Vettel collided with championship leader Hamilton under safety car conditions and later contacted Hamilton again during the restart, earning a ten-second penalty. Although investigated by the FIA, Vettel accepted full responsibility and pledged to participate in educational activities organized by the FIA.

A puncture at the British GP reduced his championship lead, but he bounced back with a win in Hungary despite steering difficulties. Following summer, Mercedes gained dominance; Vettel lost his lead at the Italian Grand Prix and experienced a rare double retirement for Ferrari at Singapore after both drivers collided on the opening lap. Reliability woes persisted with turbocharger issues relegating him to last on the grid in Malaysia and a spark plug failure forcing retirement in Japan. At the Mexican GP, Vettel earned his 50th career pole but collided with Hamilton during the race; Hamilton subsequently claimed his fourth world title. This season marked the first occasion where Vettel led mid-season yet failed to secure the championship.

The 2018 season was branded as "Fight For Five," featuring two quadruple world champions: Vettel and Hamilton. Vettel started strongly by winning in Australia, achieving his 100th podium and becoming only the third driver to lead over 3,000 laps. He followed up with victories in Bahrain and Canada—the latter being his 50th career win—briefly holding the championship lead.

However, various incidents and strategic errors eroded his advantage: contact with Bottas in France cost him valuable points; an error at his home German GP prematurely ended his race; and an unsuccessful upgrade package led to mid-season performance declines. He rebounded with wins in Belgium and Great Britain but trailed Hamilton by 30 points after Italy.

Ferrari’s difficulties persisted until reverting to an earlier car setup at the United States GP restored competitiveness. Vettel finished second in Mexico but ultimately lost out once more to Hamilton for the title. Despite occasional speed advantages from Ferrari, Mercedes’ consistency proved decisive. Analysts pointed to Vettel’s mistakes as contributing factors limiting his championship success during this era.

2019–2020: Performance Decline and Exit from Ferrari

Following promising pre-season sessions in Barcelona, Sebastian Vettel and his teammate Charles Leclerc approached the 2019 Australian Grand Prix with strong ambitions. Vettel qualified third, trailing pole position by seven-tenths of a second, and ultimately finished in fourth place. Despite podium finishes in China and Azerbaijan, Mercedes continued to dominate the championship. Vettel achieved pole position in Canada—his first in 17 races—but a five-second penalty for an unsafe re-entry cost him the victory, which was claimed by Lewis Hamilton. At the German Grand Prix, a turbocharger malfunction relegated Vettel to the back of the grid; nevertheless, he managed to climb back to second place under difficult conditions.

In Italy, Vettel spun off and collided with Racing Point's Lance Stroll, resulting in a 10-second stop-go penalty and a 13th-place finish. He secured victory in Singapore, marking his fifth triumph at that circuit—a significant highlight amid Ferrari’s overall difficulties. At the Russian Grand Prix, despite leading from third on the grid, he retired due to an MGU-K failure after disregarding team instructions to swap positions with Leclerc. Vettel earned pole position in Japan but lost the lead at the start; no penalty was imposed for his jump start. A collision with Leclerc during the Brazilian Grand Prix forced another retirement. He concluded the season fifth in the Drivers' Championship, being outscored by his teammate for only the second time.

Ferrari declared they would not extend Vettel’s contract beyond the 2020 season. Team principal Mattia Binotto did not specify a particular cause for this decision but emphasized that the separation was amicable. The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted the 2020 calendar, causing race postponements and compelling Ferrari to revise their car design after deficiencies were exposed during pre-season testing.

The SF1000 struggled with competitiveness; Vettel finished tenth at the opening race in Austria and received a warning for violating COVID-19 protocols by interacting without a mask with Red Bull personnel. At the Styrian Grand Prix, an early collision with Leclerc damaged his rear wing and led to retirement. His best finish was third place in Turkey, ending the year 13th in the Drivers’ standings with just 33 points—his lowest points tally across a full season. Ferrari finished sixth in the Constructors' Championship, marking their poorest result since 1980.

Aston Martin (2021–2022)

Sebastian Vettel joined Aston Martin for the 2021 season, taking over from Sergio Pérez.<ref> During his debut weekend at the Bahrain race, Vettel started from last place due to a grid penalty and ended up 15th following a collision and a time penalty; he also accrued five penalty points on his superlicence.<ref> Despite this challenging start, Aston Martin team principal Otmar Szafnauer remained optimistic, highlighting differences in car characteristics and limited pre-season preparation.<ref> Vettel earned his first points for Aston Martin with a fifth-place finish at Monaco, then achieved Aston Martin’s inaugural podium—and his final podium—with second place at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix.<ref> He initially secured second place in Hungary but was later disqualified due to irregularities with a fuel sample.<ref> Vettel completed the season ranked 12th in the Drivers' standings, ahead of teammate Lance Stroll.<ref> Notably, he executed 132 overtakes during the year—the highest among all drivers—and was awarded the first-ever Overtake Award.<ref>

In the 2022 season, Vettel missed the opening two rounds in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia after testing positive for COVID-19, with reserve driver Nico Hülkenberg stepping in.<ref><ref> In July 2022, Vettel announced his decision to retire from Formula One at season’s end.<ref>

Comparison to Michael Schumacher

Sebastian Vettel’s unexpected triumph at the 2008 Italian Grand Prix earned him the media moniker "Baby Schumi," highlighting parallels in nationality, driving approach, concentration, and proactive teamwork with engineers. Despite this, Vettel has expressed a strong wish to be recognized as the "New Vettel."

Both racers come from modest backgrounds—Schumacher’s father worked as a bricklayer, while Vettel’s was a carpenter—and both began their racing careers at the Kerpen karting circuit near Cologne. Vettel’s enthusiasm for racing was sparked by watching Schumacher in action.

After clinching his inaugural championship in 2010, Vettel downplayed comparisons to Schumacher’s records, acknowledging the difficulty of securing even one title but revealing his aspirations to achieve more. In 2011, Pirelli director Paul Hembery remarked on Vettel’s distinctive effort to visit their manufacturing facility for technical understanding, comparing their relationship to that of a "master and protégé," akin to Schumacher.

Following Schumacher’s serious skiing injury in 2013, Vettel accepted the Millennium-Bambi Award on his behalf in 2014. That same year, Vettel acknowledged Schumacher as a major inspiration behind his decision to join Scuderia Ferrari: "Michael Schumacher in the red car was my greatest idol and now it's an incredible honour to finally get the chance to drive a Ferrari."

Helmet

Since his karting beginnings, Vettel has worked closely with helmet designer Jens Munser. At eight years old, he selected Sebastian the crab from The Little Mermaid as a motif for his helmet. Early in his Formula One career, his helmets incorporated the Red Bull emblem and featured the red cross from the Kreis Bergstraße coat of arms beneath the visor as a tribute to his hometown of Heppenheim.

Upon joining Red Bull in 2009, Vettel introduced numerous helmet designs that ranged from minor modifications to completely new creations. A notable example is his white and red helmet at the 2010 Japanese Grand Prix adorned with black kanji and hiragana characters meaning "gives you wings." Several helmets included homages to team members. For his 50th helmet design at the 2012 Italian Grand Prix, Vettel sported a matte 'rusty' finish featuring 50 tally marks. His 2013 season opener featured a helmet honoring Felix Baumgartner's Red Bull Stratos space jump. By the end of that year, Vettel had unveiled 76 distinct helmet designs.

At the 2017 Italian Grand Prix, he replaced the German flag stripe on his helmet with an Italian flag stripe to celebrate Ferrari’s home event. After Niki Lauda’s passing, Vettel wore a special helmet inspired by Lauda’s last Ferrari design during the 2019 Monaco Grand Prix. Throughout his Aston Martin period, Vettel maintained the German flag stripe on his helmets, culminating with his final design at the 2022 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix dubbed "The Final Lap."

Car names

Drawing inspiration from World War II American bomber pilots, Vettel named each of his Formula One cars from to , explaining that assigning names fosters a closer connection with the vehicle, similar to naming a ship. His first full-season car, the Toro Rosso STR3, was called Julie, with which he achieved his maiden Grand Prix victory. Upon moving to Red Bull Racing, he initially named the Red Bull RB5 Kate, later changing it to Kate's Dirty Sister following a collision at the GP.

His first championship-winning car, the Red Bull RB6 in , was initially named Luscious Liz before being renamed Randy Mandy after switching chassis during the season. Subsequent title-winning cars included Kinky Kylie (), Abbey (), and Hungry Heidi (), with Hungry Heidi marking record-setting achievements such as nine consecutive wins. The Red Bull RB10 in , named Suzie, was unique among his Red Bull cars for not securing any race victories.

Maintaining this tradition at Scuderia Ferrari, Vettel named his cars Eva (), Margherita (), Gina (), Loria (), Lina (), and Lucilla (). In , while driving for Aston Martin, he named the Aston Martin AMR21 after Honey Ryder, referencing Aston Martin’s James Bond association. Due to performance challenges in , Vettel postponed naming the Aston Martin AMR22, ultimately concluding his 14-year practice without assigning a name.

Season	Constructor	Chassis	Name(s)	Wins
Template:F1	Scuderia Toro Rosso	Toro Rosso STR3	Julie	1
Template:F1	Red Bull Racing	Red Bull RB5	Kate Kate's Dirty Sister	4
Template:F1		Red Bull RB6	Luscious Liz Randy Mandy	5
Template:F1		Red Bull RB7	Kinky Kylie	11
Template:F1		Red Bull RB8	Abbey	5
Template:F1		Red Bull RB9	Hungry Heidi	13
Template:F1		Red Bull RB10	Suzie	0
Template:F1	Scuderia Ferrari	Ferrari SF15-T	Eva	3
Template:F1		(SF16-H)	(Margherita)	(0)
Template:F1		(SF70H)	(Gina)	(5)
Template:F1		(SF71H)	(Loria)	(5)
Template:F1		(SF90)	(Lina)	(1)
Template:F1		(SF1000)	(Lucilla)	(0)
Template:F1	(Aston Martin AMR21)	(Honey Ryder)	(0)

Awards and honours

In 2008, Vettel was honored as Rookie of the Year at the Autosport Awards and subsequently received the Lorenzo Bandini Trophy in 2009 in recognition of his accomplishments during the previous year. That same year, he claimed the British Racing Drivers' Club Johnny Wakefield Trophy for recording the fastest lap at Silverstone. In 2010, he earned the title of German Sportspersonality of the Year and secured the Autosport International Racing Driver Award, a distinction he maintained for three consecutive years. His achievements in 2012 included being awarded the Grands Prix de l'Academie des Sports and receiving the Silbernes Lorbeerblatt for both his championship victories and exemplary conduct. Vettel was also selected as Formula One driver of the year by team principals in 2009, 2011, and 2013, as acknowledged by Autosport magazine. Additionally, he won the DHL Fastest Lap Award in 2009, 2012, and 2013.

The International Sports Press Association named Vettel European Sportsperson of the Year in 2010, with similar recognition coming from the Polish Press Agency in both 2012 and 2013. In 2013, he was honored with the BBC Overseas Sports Personality of the Year, followed by being named Sportsman of the Year at the 2014 Laureus World Sports Awards. In 2015, Vettel received the Confartigianato Motori Award for Driver of the Year. Upon retiring from Formula One in 2022, he was presented with the Autosport Gregor Grant Award to celebrate his contributions to motorsport.

In a collaboration with Red Bull Racing sponsor Infiniti, a Sebastian Vettel edition of the Infiniti FX SUV was launched in 2012. This special edition featured enhanced engine performance, updated body styling, and a lowered suspension compared to the standard model.

Race of Champions

Vettel represented Germany at the 2007 Race of Champions held at Wembley Stadium, teaming up with Michael Schumacher to secure victory in the Nations' Cup. From 2008 through 2012, he continued partnering with Schumacher, consistently winning the Nations' Cup each year.

He returned for the 2015 Race of Champions, where alongside teammate Nico Hülkenberg, Vettel captured his first individual title by defeating Tom Kristensen in the final. The duo finished second in that year's Nations Cup. At the 2017 event, although eliminated early in individual competition, Vettel claimed victory in the Nations' Cup single-handedly after teammate Pascal Wehrlein was sidelined due to injury—marking Vettel’s seventh Nations' Cup triumph.

During the 2019 competition, Vettel and Mick Schumacher finished runners-up to Team Nordic in the Nations' Cup. While Vettel exited early from individual racing, he won the ROC Skills Challenge. At the 2022 event, he advanced to the individual final but was ultimately defeated by Sébastien Loeb.

Activism

Vettel has demonstrated a strong dedication to environmental sustainability and social equity causes. Following the 2021 British Grand Prix, he actively participated in cleaning up litter from spectator areas and collaborated with children in Austria to construct a bee hotel. Plans were made to build a second bee hotel at the Suzuka International Racing Course prior to the 2023 Japanese Grand Prix. He has publicly criticized Formula One’s scheduling practices, urging that races located near each other geographically be arranged consecutively to minimize travel-related emissions. During the 2021 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix weekend, Vettel organized an all-female karting event and openly supported LGBTQ+ rights by displaying a pride flag at the 2021 Hungarian Grand Prix, despite facing official reprimand. In response to the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, he voiced his intention to boycott that year's Russian Grand Prix had it proceeded.

In May 2022, Vettel appeared on BBC One's Question Time, where he discussed issues such as climate change, energy dependence, and Brexit. The following month saw him featured on the cover of Attitude, advocating for an openly LGBTQ competitor within Formula One. At the 2022 Canadian Grand Prix, Vettel protested against Alberta's oil sands by wearing a T-shirt and helmet insignia labeling it "Canada's climate crime." Alberta Premier Jason Kenney criticized this stance as hypocritical due to Aston Martin’s sponsorship ties with petroleum company Saudi Aramco. While Vettel acknowledged this charge of hypocrisy, he emphasized that personal criticisms detract from addressing larger climate challenges.

SailGP

On 31 May 2023, Vettel revealed his position as co-owner of the Germany SailGP Team, partnering with Thomas Riedel.

Personal life

Vettel lives in Thurgovia, Switzerland, a residence he shares with several other professional racers. Renowned for his competitive nature and discretion, he has featured in commercials for Head & Shoulders and lent his voice to the German-language versions of Cars 2 and Cars 3. He is an avid supporter of the German football club Eintracht Frankfurt.

In early 2019, Vettel married his childhood companion Hanna Prater; together, they have three children. In 2016, Forbes valued his yearly earnings at $41 million. He maintains a close friendship with ex-teammate Kimi Räikkönen. Besides his native German, Vettel is fluent in English, French, and Italian.

Having stayed away from social media for many years, Vettel launched an Instagram profile in July 2022 to formally announce his retirement from Formula One at the conclusion of that season.

Karting career summary

Season	Series	Team	Position
1997	DMV Goldpokal — Bambini B	KSN	7th
	DMV Bundesmeisterschaft — Bambini B		1st
	DMV Landesmeisterschaft Süd — Bambini B		1st
	NRW Cup — Bambini B		1st
1998	DMV Winterpokal — Cadet and Bambini	KSN	4th
	NRW Cup — Bambini A		1st
	DMV Landesmeisterschaft Süd — Bambini A		1st
1999	Torneo Industrie Open — 100 Junior		3rd
2000	Trofeo Andrea Margutti — 100 Junior		7th
	CIK-FIA Green Helmet Trophy – Cadet		7th
	German Karting Championship — Junior		5th
	Monaco Kart Cup — ICA Junior		22nd
2001	South Garda Winter Cup — ICA Junior		3rd
	Trofeo Andrea Margutti — ICA Junior	KSN Racing	22nd
	European Championship — ICA Junior		1st
	German Karting Championship — Junior		1st
	Monaco Kart Cup — ICA Junior		1st
2002	European Championship — ICA	KSN Official Racing Team	6th
	German Karting Championship — Senior		10th

Summary of racing career

Season	Championship	Team	Events	Victories	Pole positions	F/Laps	Podium finishes	Points	Final standing
2003	2003 Formula BMW ADAC season	Eifelland Racing	19	5	5	4	12	216	2nd
2004	2004 Formula BMW ADAC season	ADAC Berlin-Brandenburg (Mücke Motorsport)	20	18	14	13	20	387	1st
2005	Formula 3 Euro Series (ASL Mücke Motorsport)	20	0	0	1	6	63	5th
	Masters of Formula 3	1	0	0	0	0
	Spanish Formula 3 Championship (Racing Engineering)	1	0	0	0	1	8	15th
	Macau Grand Prix (ASM F3)	1	0	0	0	1	—
2006	Formula 3 Euro Series (ASM Formule 3)	20	4	1	5	9	75	2nd
	Masters of Formula 3	1	0	0	0
	Formula Renault 3.5 Series (Carlin Motorsport)	3	1	1	0	2	28	'15th'
	'Macau Grand Prix'	'1'
"2007"	"Formula Renault 3.5 Series" (Carlin Motorsport)	"7"	"1"	"1"	"1"	"4"	"74"	"5th"
	"Formula One" (BMW Sauber F1 Team)	"1"
	"Formula One" (Scuderia Toro Rosso)	"7"
"2008"	"Formula One" (Scuderia Toro Rosso)	"18"	"1"	"1"
"2009"	"Formula One" (Red Bull Racing)	"17"	"4"	"4"	"3"	"8"	"84"	"2nd"
"2010"	"Formula One" (Red Bull Racing)	"19"	"5"	"10"	"3"	"10"	"256"	"1st"
"2011"	"Formula One" (Red Bull Racing)	"19"	"11"	"15"	"3"	"17"	"392"	"1st"
"2012"	"Formula One" (Red Bull Racing)	"20"	"5"	"6"	"6"	"10"	"281"	"1st"
"2013"	"Formula One" (Infiniti Red Bull Racing)	"19"	"13"	"9"	"7"	"16"	"397"	"1st"
"2014"	"Formula One" (Infiniti Red Bull Racing)	"19"
"2015"	"Formula One" (Scuderia Ferrari)	"19"	"3"	"1"
"2016"	"Formula One" (Scuderia Ferrari)	"0"| "0"| "3"| "7"| "212"| "4th"|-	"Formula One" (Scuderia Ferrari)| "20"| "5"| "4"| "5"| "13"| "317"| "2nd"|-	"Formula One" (Scuderia Ferrari)| "21"| "5"| "5"| "3"| "12"| "320"| "2nd"|-	"Formula One" (Scuderia Ferrari Mission Winnow)| "21"| "1"| "2"| "2"| "9"| "240"| "5th"|-	"Formula One" (Scuderia Ferrari Mission Winnow)| "17"| "0"| "0"| "0"| "1"| "33"| "13th"|-	"Formula One" (Aston Martin Cognizant F1 Team)| "22"| "0"| "0"| "0"| "1"| "43"| "12th"|-	"Formula One" (Aston Martin Aramco Cognizant F1 Team)| "20"| "0"| "0"| "0"| "0"| "37"| "12th"|

Full Formula BMW ADAC results

( key) (Races shown in bold denote pole position; events in italics represent fastest lap)

Year	Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	15	16	17	18	19	20	Final Position	Points
2003	Eifelland Racing	HOC1 Race 1 Retired	HOC1 Race 2 2nd	ADR Race 1 1st	ADR Race 2 1st	NÜR1 Race 1 3rd	NÜR1 Race 2 2nd	LAU Race 1 6th	LAU Race 2 7th	NOR Race 1 Retired	NOR Race 2 1st	NÜR2 Race 1 10th	NÜR2 Race 2 2nd	NÜR3 Race 1 1st	NÜR3 Race 2 2nd	A1R Race 1 6th	A1R Race 2 8th	ZAN Race 1 DNS	style="background:#FFDF9F;" [[Circuit Park Zandvoort	ZAN Race 2]]	style="background:#FFDF9F;" |HOC2 Race 1	style="background:#FFFFBF;" |HOC2 Race 2	style="background:#DFDFDF;" :2nd	style="background:#DFDFDF;" :216
[[2004 Formula BMW ADAC season ||2004]]	Mücke Motorsport	style="background:#FFFFBF;" |HOC1 Race 1	style="background:#FFFFBF;" |HOC1 Race 2	style="background:#DFDFDF;" |ADR Race 1	style="background:#FFFFBF;" |ADR Race 2	style="background:#FFFFBF;" |NÜR1 Race 1	style="background:#FFDF9F;" |NÜR1 Race 2	style="background:#FFFFBF;" |LAU Race 1	style="background:#FFFFBF;" |LAU Race 2	style="background:#FFFFBF;" |NOR Race 1	style="background:#FFFFBF;" |NOR Race 2	style="background:#FFFFBF;" |NÜR2 Race 1	style="background:#FFFFBF;" |NÜR2 Race 2	style="background:#FFFFBF;" |OSC Race 1	style="background:#FFFFBF;" |OSC Race 2	style="background:#FFFFBF;" |ZAN Race 1	style="background:#FFFFBF;" |ZAN Race 2	style="background:#FFFFBF;" |BRN Race １	style="background:#FFFFBF;" |BRN Race 　２ ' ' < br >	style = background : # FFFF BF ; | HOC２ Ｂｒ > Ｒａｃｅ　　１ < br >	style = background : # FFFF BF ; | HOC２ Ｂｒ > Ｒａｃｅ　　２ < br >	style = background : # FFFF BF ; :１ｓｔ	style = background : # FFFF BF ; :３８７

Complete Formula 3 Euro Series results

(key) (Races highlighted in bold denote pole position, while those in italics represent the fastest lap)

Year	Team	Chassis	Engine	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	15	16	17	18	19	20	Final Position	Points Earned
2005	ASL Mücke Motorsport	Dallara F305/011	Mercedes	HOC 1 15	HOC 2 5	PAU 1 7	PAU 2 11	SPA 1 DSQ	SPA 2 13	MON 1 18	MON 2 17	OSC 1 5	OSC 2 5	NOR 1 2	NOR 2 4	NÜR 1 11	NÜR 2 2	ZAN 1 2	ZAN 2 2	LAU 1 3	LAU 2 15	HOC 1 13	HOC 2 3	5th	57
2006	ASM Formule 3	Dallara F305/059	Mercedes	HOC 1 5	HOC 2 1	LAU 1 3	LAU 2 6	OSC 1 5	OSC 2 14	BRH 1 2	BRH 2 7	NOR 1 2	NOR 2 Ret	NÜR 1 1	NÜR 2 1	ZAN 1 24	ZAN 2 2	CAT 1 1	""CAT 2"  "Ret"  |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |	2nd ! style = " background : # df df df ; " | 75 |-	Template:Center }}

Comprehensive Formula Renault 3.5 Series results

(key) (Races shown in bold denote pole positions, while those in italics indicate fastest laps)

Year	Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	15	16	17	Final Position	Points Scored
2006	Carlin Motorsport	ZOL 1	ZOL 2	MON 1	IST 1	IST 2	MIS 1 2	MIS 2 1	SPA 1 Ret	SPA 2 DNS	NÜR 1	NÜR 2	DON 1	DON 2	LMS 1	LMS 2	CAT 1	CAT 2	15th	28
2007	Carlin Motorsport	MNZ 1 5	MNZ 2 3	NÜR 1 1	NÜR 2 6	MON 1 2	HUN 1 4	HUN 2 3													5th	74

Complete Formula One results

(key) (Races in bold signify pole positions; races in italics represent fastest laps)

Year	Team	Chassis	Engine	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	15	16	17	18	19	20	21	22	WDC	Points

|- ... [Table continues with detailed annual Formula One results including team, chassis, engine, key race outcomes, championship rankings, and points totals] ... |}

Did not finish but classified as completed over 90% of race distance.

Half points awarded due to less than 75% race distance completed.

Formula One records

Vettel has set multiple significant Formula One records:

Record Description		Date Achieved
Longest streak of consecutive grand slams	2 consecutive grand slams	During the 2013 Singapore Grand Prix and the 2013 Korean Grand Prix
Highest number of pole positions in a single season	15 poles	In the Template:F1 season of 2011
Youngest driver to secure a Grand Prix pole position	At age 21 years and 72 days	Achieved at the 2008 Italian Grand Prix (13 September 2008)
Youngest driver to obtain both pole position and race victory	At age 21 years and 73 days	Recorded at the 2008 Italian Grand Prix (14 September 2008)
Youngest competitor to record a hat-trick (pole, win, fastest lap)	At age 21 years and 353 days	During the 2009 British Grand Prix (21 June 2009)
Youngest Formula One World Champion	At age 23 years and 134 days	Crowned during the 2010 Formula One World Championship (14 November 2010)
Youngest runner-up in the World Drivers' Championship	At age 22 years and 121 days	In the course of the 2009 Formula One World Championship (1 November 2009)
Shortest duration before receiving a penalty	After just six seconds	Imposed at the 2006 Turkish Grand Prix (25 August 2006) for pit lane speeding shortly after debut

External links

• Profile – available at BBC F1