When it comes to Formula 1 drivers, few are more well-known and highly decorated than Sebastian Vettel. With his four world championships, 53 victories, and 57 pole positions, Vettel was one of the most successful F1 drivers in history. But now that he’s retired from the sport, we can take a look back at his career and ask ourselves: just how good was he really?
Vettel’s Career Trajectory
Sebastian Vettel had an incredibly successful run in Formula 1. After a meteoric rise through the junior ranks, Vettel quickly found success with Toro Rosso. By the time he was 27 years old, he had already achieved the majority of his successes with Red Bull. In 2015, after a winless campaign with Red Bull at the start of the V6 turbo hybrid era, he triggered his release clause to join Ferrari. Many expected great things from him at Ferrari but unfortunately for him and Ferrari fans alike, it wasn’t meant to be.
Sebastian Vettel is a four-time Formula One World Champion. After winning the title with Red Bull Racing in 2010, 2011, 2012, and 2013, Vettel moved to Ferrari in 2015 and many expected him to replicate his success there. But six years at Maranello disappointed, followed by a cathartic but unsuccessful two years with Aston Martin.
Early Vettel (2007-2013) was a phenomenon. Speak to those who worked with him as he ascended from karting hopeful to superstar and the message is consistent. What marked Vettel out was his attention to detail, his dedication, the determination to leave no stone unturned. Vettel followed Shumacher’s lead.
Vettel’s early success came from an uncanny ability to understand what made his cars tick; understanding that went beyond pure set-up changes and into aerodynamic tweaks and even chassis design decisions. He had a greater appreciation than most of how important it was to give feedback that could be translated into tangible improvements on track – rather than just vague comments about how something felt – which enabled engineers to make significant performance gains between races and over seasons.
The Decline of Vettel’s Career
The move to Ferrari didn’t pay off for either party as expectations were never fully realized. Despite some early success (including winning three races in 2017), by 2019 it was clear that something wasn’t right – both on and off-track – leading to a series of unfortunate incidents throughout the season. It was clear that neither side was ready to continue working together beyond 2020 and so they parted ways amicably at the end of last year. This marked the end of one of F1’s most legendary careers as Vettel announced his retirement from Formula 1 just months later.
In terms of results however, the later part of Vettel’s career has been much less successful than his earlier years with Red Bull Racing. After six barren years at Ferrari between 2016-2021 where he failed to win either a Grand Prix or any Championship titles despite having some very competitive cars at his disposal for two of those years in 2019/20 , he moved back on loan to Red Bull for 2021 as their third driver , although again without any success thus far . It begs the question then whether we can consider him a great driver if he is unable to win races or championships in either of these teams?
Vettel’s Legacy
It is difficult to measure greatness – especially in sports – but looking back at Sebastian Vettel’s impressive resume it is easy to see why he is considered one of F1’s all-time greats. While his move to Ferrari didn’t work out as planned, there is no denying that this German driver has had an incredible impact on F1 history as evidenced by his four world championships and numerous wins over 12 seasons in the sport; achieving such feats is not easy or commonplace! He has certainly left behind an impressive legacy and will always be remembered fondly among F1 fans and racing enthusiasts alike
Although Sebastian Vettel’s career ended on a slightly sour note due to unmet expectations during his time with Ferrari, no one can deny that this German driver made an incredible impact on Formula 1 history over 12 seasons in the sport. His four world championships are proof enough – making such feats is not easy or commonplace! His legacy will live on forever amongst racing enthusiasts who will remember him fondly for many years to come.
Ultimately , judging Sebastian Vettel’s overall greatness requires careful consideration . His early years in Formula One were certainly remarkable, achieving world championship titles 4 times consecutively with Red Bull Racing during 2010-2013 . However, since 2016 onwards ,it has been a case of diminishing returns for both himself as well as for whichever team he has driven for . Ultimately time will tell if we can term him as an all time great when it comes down to F1 racing. For now though, it appears that we will have an incomplete picture until such time as further successes are achieved by him in this era of F1 racing . In any event , no one can deny that his early accomplishments were truly remarkable and would have secured him legendary status regardless of what happens next . Moreover, after seeing so much success at such an early age, it will be interesting indeed if he can find another way back into F1 racing again sometime soon . Only time will tell…