Sebastian Vettel shocked Formula One World with his retirement announcement on Thursday. On Thursday, Formula One drivers and teams react to the news by thanking the four-time world champion for his contributions to the sport.
He has explained that his decision to retire at the end of the 2022 season was not taken lightly – and that it’s been one that has weighed heavily on his mind for a number of reasons.
Last week, Vettel said he had a “clear intention” to stay in Formula 1 beyond the 2022 season. But on Thursday ahead of the Hungarian Grand Prix, the four-time champion announced that he would in fact be retiring at the end of this season. He explained that the decision was made with a lot of thought, over a long period of time – and opened up about why he’d made it.
“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.
“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.”
Formula One drivers including seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton and 2021 World Champion Max Verstappen react to the news. FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem also wishes former world champion all the best for his future endvours.
Formula One teams react to the news
Sebastian Vettel spent his Formula One career with many iconic teams on the grid, BMW, Toro Roso (AlphaTauri), Red Bull, Ferrari, and Aston Martin(current team).
