Even if he does not regret his decision, the farewell to Formula 1 still leaves its mark on Sebastian Vettel.
The four-time world champion hung up his fall helmet at the end of last year. Sebastian Vettel bid farewell to the Formula 1 championship after 16 seasons. He has been an outside follower of the series for more than half a year, as he spoke to Red Bulletin magazine, published by his former team Red Bull, and now he spoke about the period that has passed since his retirement and the feeling of missing him.
“The first few months went by quickly and it was great to have the freedom to set my own time. Many factors played into my decision. I didn’t stop because I didn’t like the sport anymore, or because I was too slow, or because I wanted to do something else. It depends on the individual Why would someone quit? said the four-time world champion.
“For me, time was the deciding factor: there is a lot of competition and I know the effort required to do the job well. Meanwhile I have young children at home, and this period will not be repeated.”
Vettel was asked what he misses most about Formula One.
“I enjoyed driving and fighting until the end. When you only have one chance in the time trial and you have to go for it. The duels. These are the moments I miss the most.”
He said.
However, there is no room for regrets, as Vettel feels he has retired at the right time. “I no longer wanted to make certain concessions. I also wanted to spend more time with my children. Perhaps I had grown a little outside of the world that I thought was wonderful. “Things that I once saw as only white acquired a certain shade.” – he said in a clear reference to the issue of environmental protection that is his heart. “Even though Formula 1 has been a big part of my life, it’s not the focus of people in the world. And if you look beyond that, you see certain signs.” he added.
The former competitor admitted that there is still some void in him that he has not been able to fill since his retirement.
“I was very prepared with my decision, but at the same time, the uncertainty factor is still there. I love the sport, but nothing pushes me to the limits like Formula 1. That’s what I miss the most.”
“I have to put the brakes on here because this is exactly what I wanted to know about myself: what happens when I’m not in racing mode anymore. Once the adrenaline rush of being on top of the world wears off. It happens either by choice or by force, like injury. You have to. “Moving forward, taking the excitement and tension to the next level. I’m not saying it’s easy, and I’m not saying I’m over it. I’m still searching, this process is still ongoing, and it’s exciting.”
Vettel retired from Aston Martin, partly because he saw no chance of them rising to the top in the short term. In comparison, his former team made the most progress over the winter and achieved back-to-back podium finishes at the start of the year. “A lot of people have said that: the fact that an Aston Martin is so fast must frustrate me. Well, maybe it would have been easier if the car was a complete piece of junk, but there’s nothing missing. Above all, I’m happy.” For the team members.
“I’m also happy for Fernando Alonso. For many years, he didn’t get a car to show his abilities. Now you can, he’s there. Red Bull dominates and I still have a lot of friends there. I’m also happy when they win” Vettel said.
