Aston Martin has not identified a lack of motivation in Sebastian Vettel since the 35-year-old’s definite retirement from Formula 1. The four-time world champion from Heppenheim takes care of the 2023 car.
Vettel may have announced his retirement from Formula 1 at the end of the season. But that doesn’t mean that the German will take it easy in his final races. “No, that’s not his character,” says Aston Martin team boss Mike Krack.
For the former series winner, it’s practically nothing anymore. The four-time world champion is not competing for top positions in 2022, but is struggling not to retire in Q1. With 20 points, he is currently only in 13th place in the overall standings. But he doesn’t let himself get stuck because of that.
“He’s a professional,” stresses Krack. “He gives everything until the last moment. And that was the first thing he said when he informed us about his retirement: that he will give everything until the end.”
Vettel doesn’t want to hear the word “farewell” either, as the team boss found out from himself. “I saw a flag with ‘Thank you, Sebastian’ and was asked if this is the farewell tour, but it’s not at all. We don’t see it that way,” says Krack.
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“We’re going to do a little farewell at the end of the season, but until then we’ll give it our all because we still have a small gap to close with some constructors. And we really can’t end up in the position we’re in now are,” he emphasizes.
Aston Martin is currently only ninth overall with 25 points and would like to improve. AlphaTauri is seven points ahead of the British racing team, and Haas is also within reach with a further point advantage. And for that you need a Sebastian Vettel in top form.
The German is also setting the course for the future and is involved in the project for next year’s car. “And that shows how professional and determined he is,” praises Krack. “In the debrief he says something like: ‘Think about that for the car next year.’ And then you know he’s in for it.”
That should also please his former rival Fernando Alonso, who will take over Vettel’s cockpit at Aston Martin in 2023. “Yes, that’s very good,” laughs the Spaniard. “We’ll be grateful to Seb for that next year in Australia… Bahrain, sorry….”
Will Sebastian Vettel stay connected to Aston Martin?
Vettel himself said after his announcement that he felt liberated in a way. So far, however, Krack has not noticed any changes in his protégé’s behavior. “When he drives, it doesn’t exist,” says Krack. “He’s fully focused in the car.”
“I think it’s more about when he’s on the plane and maybe thinking more about his family and stuff,” he says.
It is also the family that could keep the German at home in the coming year. But who knows if he might not get bored at some point. Vettel does not yet know what tasks he will devote himself to after the end of his career. Does Vettel remain connected to Aston Martin in any way, for example in an advisory role?
“We haven’t talked about that yet,” says Krack. “The announcement came right before the summer break. We have to give him time to think about it and he has to make his plans. And before he does anything else, I’m sure he’ll want to take a break.”