Life after Formula 1 is a challenge that all drivers face at one time or another. Some leave knowing that they are going to another category, while others choose to take alternative paths, as commentators on television or, perhaps, as the mentors of a son who shows signs of being a future world champion.
The general rule of thumb is that most drivers have been so immersed in motorsport their entire lives and have spent so much time on the circuit that it is almost impossible for them to walk away from it.
However, there are some exceptions. Carlos Reutemann went into politics in his native Argentina, while Jody Scheckter built a business empire in the United States before turning to farming in the UK, and following the more familiar route to help his sons climb the ladder. motoring.
It is obvious that Sebastian Vettel will not become a television star, nor will he stay on the tracks with a lost look. He is a workaholic, unable to sit still for long, and his wide-ranging interests in environmental and social issues will open all kinds of doors for him outside of racing.
If you decide to stay linked to sport, you will not be short of supply from teams and other organizations. We can assume that he probably won’t be excited about taking on an ambassadorial role for a manufacturer or sponsor, but he would be a good fit to manage or advise strong-sounding brands in Formula 1, such as Porsche or Audi , if given the chance. to make a real contribution, even though you don’t want to spend 24 weekends away from home.
Some of his teammates on the grid have made it clear that they would like him to continue to be linked to the GPDA [drivers’ association], although the organization already has Alex Wurz as its reference driver.
On the Thursday before the Hungarian Grand Prix, a few hours after his announcement, Vettel said he had no firm plans: “My way of working is that I’m always aware of what’s coming.”
“I said today that the best race is yet to come, which can be seen as nonsense. If I am going to stop, what race is going to come if you don’t compete anymore?” Said the German. “But I think I’m talking about the bigger picture, like in life.”
“And I think for all sportsmen, the biggest challenge awaits us once we decide to do other things, so that’s what I’m facing,” added the still Aston Martin driver.
Despite all these external interests and his desire to spend time with his family, Vettel is aware enough to recognize that it will not be easy to fill the void that Formula 1 leaves in the life of every retired driver: “Honestly, I also what’s coming is scary, because it could be a hole”.
“I don’t know how deep it will go, and if I’ll get out of it,” he explained. “But I think I have a lot of support, a lot of people who have helped me along the way so far, and who will continue to help me and give me advice.”
“I hope to make the right decisions also in the future to progress and become a better version of myself in 10 years’ time,” Vettel said.
Deep down, the German is still a driver, like everyone else on the grid, and he doesn’t hide what he will miss the most: “The thrill of driving the car and the adrenaline of fighting on the track, of course, I’ve also thought in that, that I’m going to say no to that, and that I don’t have something to replace it”.
“Also, I have looked at others, and how they have managed it. I have tried, perhaps, to find something else that gives the adrenaline rush,” he continued. “As far as I can tell, without knowing about it, because I’m here now and I still have 10 races to go, next year is going to be different.
“But it’s something to be prepared for, and I think I am as prepared as I can be today, to say I won’t be there anymore,” he said.
“If I want to compete in something, my kids want to do that with me all day, some things I like more than others, but something will come to me for sure. It would be a mistake to take a step back knowing that you still want to race,” he said.
Only 35 years old , Vettel has not ruled out the possibility of being in other categories, and, although he has no plans to try anything else, many have taken a year off or gone to the WEC or touring car races, with a schedule of Less tiring travel.
“It will be my last race in Formula 1,” he said when asked what could happen after Abu Dhabi. “I don’t know, because of my age it’s not a problem to do something else or more Formula 1, that’s not the limit I have.”
“I think physically I’m in great shape to drive these cars, so it’s not a problem or anything that’s holding me back. I can’t say yes, and I can’t say no either, because it’s the decision I’m making right now, and this chapter It’s over,” said the German.
“I’m not saying it ends and another one starts right after, like I said before, I don’t know. Time will tell, I think that’s the answer I can give right now,” he added.
It is clear that, in one way or another, Vettel will continue with his environmental campaigns, although he recognizes that he would have more voice if he continued to be active. However, he is prepared to deal with that lower profile.
“I think it would be a wrong motivation to continue doing what I’ve always done, to be competitive and win, just to express your opinion on some issues. I think that would be wrong,” he said.
“Obviously I’ve thought about that too, so maybe I lose the voice and the scope, but for me that’s never been in the forefront, it’s always been the message because that’s what I believe in,” Vettel added. “I see that we are having the greatest challenge, or facing one of the greatest that humanity has ever had, and if we don’t win this race, the world will continue to turn, but without us.”
“I’m into it, and I think once you figure it out, maybe it’s also a bit of a habit or character that you get when you know you’re always trying to find the next thing, being curious about what could make you faster or give you an advantage.”
“It’s the same kind of feature that made me search for more answers, ask more questions, and that brings me to the next thing. Realizing the magnitude of the challenge, there is a temptation to go into a negative spiral, to panic and become hysterical about the future, but at the same time I’m reading and listening a lot to people who are changing the world in a big direction, creating a better planet, fighting and committing, even sacrificing their lives to make it a better place in the future”.
“So, yes, there is a lot to do, but I think my beliefs have always been in the first instance, not an agenda to follow or a campaign,” defended Vettel, who has made it clear that the family and his other interests will be the priority. after November, but he recognizes that the future is an open book, and he doesn’t know how history will go.
“The answer if you say, do these things satisfy you enough? I don’t know, time will tell,” said the German. “Whenever you decide to go in a different direction, you don’t really know what’s around the corner.”
“But I am very curious to find out, and more to know what is next, more than to follow what is now,” Sebastian Vettel said.
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