“Ambitious goal set”
Sebastian Vettel runs his first marathon – and impresses
April 27, 2026 – 10:32 amReading time: 2 minutes
After the end of his Formula 1 career, Sebastian Vettel is looking for new areas of activity. In his first marathon he knows how to impress straight away.
Four-time Formula 1 world champion Sebastian Vettel broke the magical three-hour mark for amateur runners at the London Marathon. The 38-year-old ran the 42.195 kilometers in 2:59:08 hours, 59:38 minutes slower than the winner Sabastian Sawe from Kenya, who set a world record and became the first person to stay under two hours in an official competition.
“It felt very long, but it was my first time, so I didn’t know what to expect,” Vettel told the BBC TV station and added: “It was a great experience and I’m happy that I made it to the finish line.” The former Ferrari star said he had always wanted to run a marathon: “And I thought now is the time. I set myself an ambitious goal, which I have achieved.”
The exhausted Vettel said at the finish that he had set out to “stay under three hours”: “I managed to do that. I can only recommend that people register.” Vettel needed around 4:14 minutes per kilometer and ran an average speed of around 14.1 kilometers per hour.
The ex-racing driver was not the only celebrity who took part in the prestigious race in the British metropolis. Among others, former English footballer Tony Adams was there. And the German TV presenter Kai Pflaume also started in London.
The 58-year-old, who also ran the New York Marathon, crossed the finish line in 3:18:32 hours. Plum was a good 15 minutes faster than in the US metropolis in 2023.
