Vettel changed in F1: 'He was just as feisty, selfish and demanding'

F1 News

23 November 2022 at 06:24
Last update 23 November 2022 at 08:56
  • GPblog.com

Sebastian Vettel noticed at his last Grand Prix of his Formula 1 career last weekend how beloved he was by his fellow drivers. Whereas he has become milder in recent years, Martin Brundle states in his column on Sky Sports however, that his character used to be different.

The German made his debut at BMW Sauber, before switching to Toro Rosso. There he stayed for a season and a half. He then came out for Red Bull Racing, where he managed to take four world titles in a row, Ferrari and Aston Martin.

Especially in his prime years, Brundle recalls that Vettel could sometimes be tough. "He wasn't always that saintly, he was just as feisty, selfish and demanding as you'd expect any four-time world champion to be," he says of the driver.

Vettel says goodbye to Formula 1

In Abu Dhabi, Vettel was presented with a big farewell. So Lewis Hamilton came up with the idea of a joint dinner, while Max Verstappen decided to swap his helmet with him for once. It earned the four-time world champion a nice departure.

"Like us all, he has mellowed of course but he's always had that classic 'old head on young shoulders' demeanour and has been a pleasure to encounter and interview over those 15 seasons. He's a class act as a driver and a person and that's why everyone has come to admire and respect him."