Berlin (AP) – Sebastian Vettel has a lot of time to think. Because of a corona infection, the 34-year-old also missed the second Formula 1 race of the season in Saudi Arabia on Sunday (7 p.m. / Sky).
Actually, the Aston Martin driver wanted to set an example for topics that are important to him at his appearance in Jeddah: climate protection, Fridays for Future, human rights and right now the war in Ukraine. “I’m not exactly the most popular driver in the eyes of the Formula 1 organization. But nobody can tell me what I have to say or not to say,” says Vettel.
Climate activist Luisa Neubauer is also happy about that. In the joint video conversation shortly before the tenth global climate strike by Fridays for Future, the 25-year-old praises the racing driver’s commitment. It’s inspiring that there are people like Vettel “who say: Let’s stand by what we think is important.”
Ask:You recently spoke in a joint podcast about the purpose of a speed limit. How do you experience the debate about a fuel price brake now?
newbuilder:You don’t have to explain to anyone how shocking the situation is and how speechless it is about what is happening right now. I’m part of a generation that was told there was no more war in Europe. It’s a shocking situation. It’s also oppressive in a different way how some people deal with it. I find it strange and unrealistic that a measure such as a speed limit, which makes sense from a content and ecological point of view and now also from the logic of war, is not being implemented.
Vettel:Talking about the prices at the pump is extremely off topic. In 2022, I would no longer have expected another country to be attacked with soldiers and tanks. This is absolutely shocking. The fact that the rise in petrol and diesel prices is the topic of the day for us misses the actual problem. For me it’s about what can be done to put an end to the war, to end the suffering of the people. Solidarity also means taking part, not just taking to the streets. If that means temporarily paying higher prices at the pump, then so be it. This cannot be offset by the situation in which millions of people find themselves in the war in Ukraine.
Ask:They both called for a ban on Russian oil, gas and coal imports. The federal government is now entering into new partnerships in Qatar as well. Is this in accordance with your wishes?
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newbuilder:At the moment when people want to get away from Russian gas and turn to Qatar, we are faced with the question of the system. In both cases, one deals with opponents of democracy and further fuels the ecological catastrophe. The answer must be a fair energy transition, as quickly as possible. The fact that funny detours are now being taken to disempower Putin is perhaps part of it at this moment. But above all, we have to get away from all these systems with all our might, that we no longer have to support autocrats and dictators at all by buying their fossil fuels. We must become independent. New energies are freedom energies, they are the most peaceful and democratic thing we have.
Vettel:They say you should learn from mistakes. Escape to the next dependency is the wrong thing. As a society, we must do everything we can to become independent in order to be able to continue to enjoy this freedom that we are so attached to. Maybe there is a bit of the athlete in me and the ambition. We’re doing something no one has done before and becoming self-sufficient in energy supply in a timeframe no one thought possible. Because we’re going to just do it now.
Ask:Formula 1 also has controversial partners. Driving in Saudi Arabia at the weekend. The country is at war in Yemen and has a poor human rights record. What does sport do if it still occurs there?
Vettel:Difficult question. How independent can you be when you’re on the payroll. You could say boycott, don’t even go there. On the other hand, you can go there with the thought: we represent our Western values, show our freedom and stand up for it. The question is how brave you can be when you are a paid guest. It’s not like Formula 1 chooses that on the map. It’s more that countries are approaching Formula 1 and it’s part of the business model that venues are putting a lot of money into it. Do you dare to do something about it when you are there? On the other hand, there are certain values that we must stand up for because they outweigh financial interests.
Ask:What does Formula 1 have to do specifically?
Vettel:You have to take the sport as a general obligation. It’s a balancing act between financial interests, to carry out the sport as we know it, and critical observation. It’s not just about Saudi Arabia and Bahrain, the Olympics were in China. The question is how many countries are left just by looking at the Formula 1 calendar. But actually it should be a simple question. It’s all about role models, especially for young people. On the one hand it’s entertainment, on the other hand you also have responsibility and you should make sure that you go ahead with the right values and symbols.
newbuilder:When you go somewhere in Formula 1, you have a very big responsibility. But that also applies to the World Cup. If you go where human rights are being violated, you have to face the conditions and have the courage to speak out. And demand changes from a position of power. What saddens me so much is the inconsistency of big institutions like FIFA or Formula 1 when it comes to human rights violations. In doing so, they not only protect regimes that trample on human rights. They are also dragging the sport into a corner where it doesn’t need to be, and with it the fans and sports enthusiasts.
Ask:What can you, Mr. Vettel, do for human rights with your commitment to climate protection?
Vettel:It’s not about my message. We all have to understand that, otherwise it doesn’t look good at all. It’s not just about Formula 1, it’s about our future. I still see my job primarily as trying to win races. I am aware that my job is not good for the environmental balance. I’m not driving to carry a message forward. We all have this responsibility. As an athlete you are always looking for solutions. I try to do something about it, even if it’s a small thing. If that inspires people, then that’s great. If, because of the fact that I collect rubbish at the race track, small children write that they are now collecting rubbish in the forest, then my goal has been achieved at this point. It is clear that there is no end. The greatest challenge lies ahead of us. Each individual can make the difference.
Ask:Shouldn’t you be interested in taking Formula 1 out of the race as a symbol for wasting raw materials?
newbuilder:For three years now, as Fridays for Future, we have been trying to pull the big levers around the world and in politics in Germany. Formula 1 can take care of the future of Formula 1 itself. And people like Sebastian. As Fridays for Future we have a sparkler function to illuminate things so that eventually they will take on a life of their own and people with their expertise and life experiences set out to become part of the bigger picture.
Ask:From your point of view, it would then be important if Sebastian Vettel continued to drive for a long time and addressed his view of things in Formula 1 and influenced his sport accordingly?
newbuilder:Sebastian pointed out the two options. Either I go out and boycott the whole thing or I stay and do what I can. It’s not about us becoming eco-saints doing everything right in our lives. We should honestly ask ourselves what our response is to living in a world that is really bad at this time. And there is no such thing as a neutral position, whether you’re in sports, studying or working in a bank. It’s important that we disclose that there are people who recognize that. There are few things less inspiring.
Vettel:Attention is very central to the topic. I didn’t have that big bang moment. A small incentive has grown into the next. As with the snowball effect, the issue has only grown. And it won’t go away. That will determine the rest of my life and the lives of my children. If my younger colleagues only concentrate on driving, I don’t blame them. But the bigger question is: What’s all this worth when the world we live in isn’t good and we need to take care of it.
Ask:What’s your answer?
Vettel:I have no incentive to convert people. I’m not saying I’ll drive to Imola or Barcelona, I’ll do that too. I’m trying to eliminate private aviation 100 percent for myself because it’s the worst thing you can do. These are steps I can take. In a way, I can afford it. I don’t want to say I’m the role model now. The fuel prices affect me less. But very few people are in that situation. For some, coupled with heating bills, it makes such a big difference that they ask themselves, how am I going to get around at the end of the month? I don’t have to look far, there are also people in my family and circle of friends who are very affected.
Ask:Formula 1 has expressed its solidarity with Ukraine, canceling the race in Sochi and terminating the contract for further Grands Prix in St. Petersburg. Was that the right reaction?
Vettel:Yes, there was the right reaction, it wasn’t clear enough at the beginning, but then the topic got so big that you couldn’t talk your way out of it anymore. One should learn from this that in the future one should look closely at the risks that result from contracts with autocratic countries. I think values should be the key, not financial attractiveness.
Do people in Formula 1 listen to you when you talk about this topic?
Vettel:It is now the case that some people panic a little when these topics come up. There are people who really want to influence what I say about it. You want to minimize the risk of a confrontation. That was the case on the day the war broke out, and it is the case with sustainability issues. I’m not exactly the most popular driver in the eyes of the Formula 1 organization. But nobody can tell me what I have to say or not to say, even if people don’t like to see what I then say.
newbuilder:I know. Everyone gets upset, then you have to explain at length why you said something like that. Many come later and say yes, we like it too. We can speak of social progress when you allow yourself to be guided by values and do not always orientate yourself on how you have always done it. If the basics of life are flying in our face, wars break out, human rights are massively violated, then the handbook of the past may not be the smartest guide. In our experience, demands that are considered radical at the moment are later taken for granted. It makes me very happy that we see this progress everywhere, that there are people like Sebastian or organizations like Fridays for Future and Friday for Friends who say: Let’s stand by what we think is important.
TO PERSON:Climate protection activist Luisa Neubauer (25) is one of the leading figures in the Fridays for Future movement in Germany. The student from Hamburg moderates a podcast and is the co-author of several books. Racing driver Sebastian Vettel (34) is a four-time world champion in Formula 1. He drives for the Aston Martin team and lives with his family in Switzerland.