Norbert Vettel: I think my son will miss Formula 1

Four-time world champion Sebastian Vettel retired from Formula 1, but his father will always be proud of his son’s achievements. In an interview with the championship’s official website, Norbert Vettel explained how it all started.

According to Vettel Sr., his son first showed an interest in motorsport more than 30 years ago when he received a battery-powered car as a Christmas present. Little Sebastian really liked the toy, he tried to understand how it works. In addition, he watched his father participate in fast mountaineering competitions, which was another incentive. That’s why Norbert bought a used kart for his son…

“Sebastian was short at the time, so I made pedals so he could reach the throttle and brakes,” the racer’s father recalled. “The seat also had to be padded with extra padding because it was too big. We drew a track on the tarmac and the hairpin on it was near my workshop.

I was on the edge of the track for this hairpin and showed where to slow down. The first thing he found out were the braking points. It was raining and Sebastian liked to ride on wet asphalt. I called him home for dinner and asked him to let his sister drive for a while, but he refused, saying he wanted to stay in the yard. He just wanted to keep trying, keep learning. That was amazing!”

When Sebastian was 8 years old, he climbed the podium at the end of the race in Kerpen, the hometown of Michael Schumacher. Michael was already considered a real hero in Germany at that time, and it was on that day that Vettel met the future seven-time world champion, which later turned into a close friendship.

Years passed, Sebastian had already become a BMW-Sauber test driver and for the 2007 US Grand Prix he called his father from Indianapolis. It was quite late, 10.30pm, but he asked if he could fly in urgently, as the team had asked to replace the injured Robert Kubica. That. my son was about to make his debut race in Formula 1.

“I made a promise and started calling the airlines,” Norbert continued. – In the morning I flew to Amsterdam, from there to Detroit, from there to Indianapolis. I was on time, even though it was already night. It was a real madness, but I managed it anyway.

When I first saw Sebastian put on his overalls and take a seat in the cockpit, I got nervous. I’m always nervous whether it’s testing, qualifying or racing. When I’m not on the track, I follow all the happenings on TV or radio. If there’s neither, I’ll just follow the timing, analyze Sebastian’s time in each lap. He always makes me nervous. Next year I won’t be so worried though.

A year later Sebastian became a Toro Rosso racer and in September 2008 he won the Italian Grand Prix, which took place on a wet track, which then became a real sensation. According to Vettel Sr., his son always performed well in the rain, because “under such conditions he felt the car very well, felt how the rubber worked.”

At the end of the 2010 season, when he was already a Red Bull Racing driver, Sebastian became world champion for the first time.

“It was a great time, I am very proud of my son. Every father, every mother always does everything possible for the children. And to see him go all the way to the world championship after he got into karting, it was just incredibly cool, said Norbert. – I think he will miss Formula 1 now. I think so.

What he’s thinking about, I don’t know. If someone has been spinning like a squirrel in a wheel since he was eight years old, it’s hard to say what he feels now, having retired from motorsport. I don’t know what Sebastian will do next year and I don’t know what I will do either. I just thank him for all this glorious time. May he be all right.”