F1’s Sebastian Vettel on Retirement: “I’ve Grown Interests Outside F1.”

“Being away physically from home, from kids, from family, I’ve grown other things,” shares Sebastian Vettel about his retirement.

Sorry to all moms and dads who were rooting for Aston Martin this coming 2023. It looks like they’ll be short one driver. The four-time world champion Sebastian Vettel announced his retirement. Driving for the last 15 years, Aston Martin’s lead driver shares that he did not make the decision 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,” he said.

“I still love racing and I’m more relieved now.”

Married to Hanna Prater with 3 children, Vettel found himself being pulled by the majority in the “other direction”. “At the end of the year, I want to take some more time to reflect on what I will focus on next. It is very clear to me that, being a father, I want to spend more time with my family,” shares Vettel during an interview.

Many F1 fans will definitely miss the dogfights and chases that both Vettel and Mercedes’ lead driver Hamilton would have. But despite the rivalry, the two have a good friendship. Hamilton even tweeted to honor his rival and friend on the racetrack:

Sebastian Vettel’s rise to fame as a driver first started out with Redbull Racing before transferring to Ferrari. Aston Martin however hasn’t released who would be replacing Vettel. But its executive chairman, Lawrence Stroll, thanked Vettel for his performance despite the results not being what they had hoped.

“I want to thank Sebastian from the bottom of my heart for the great work that he has done for Aston Martin … over the past year and a half,” shares Stroll. “We made it clear to him that we wanted him to continue with us next year. But in the end, he has done what he feels is right for himself and his family, and of course, we respect that.”

Choosing between two things one loves is hard.

Retirement is not something professionals make overnight. Some even think that if the family is the reason why they can’t advance, they’d rather not have one. But winning the championship four times in a row may be enough excitement Sebastian Vettel needs before focusing on his family.

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