Formula One teams pay tribute to Sebastian Vettel after the German announced his retirement at the end of this year: "Champion on and off the track
The Formula One grid took a moment to revere Sebastian Vettel for his achievements in the category over the past 15 years, since his official debut in the United States GP in 2007, when, replacing Robert Kubica at BMW Sauber, he made history by finishing eighth, scoring his first F1 point. A career that will come to an end at the end of this year.
From that 2007 on, the eyes of the world would turn to the young German, only 20 years old, who would become a real part of the F1 grid starting in the Hungarian GP of the same year, defending Toro Rosso. "Thanks, Seb. Applause for the great times and for the four world titles," Red Bull, the team with which Vettel dominated F1 at the beginning of the 2010s and won four titles, wrote on social media.
The word chosen by McLaren to define the 35-year-old German was "legend." "Legend status. Congratulations on an extraordinary career, Sebastian Vettel. A champion on and off the track," said the Woking team.
In fact, Vettel has become a great active voice to call the attention not only of the category itself, but of the whole world, especially to environmental causes. Accused of being a hypocrite countless times for being an F1 driver, Vettel never let himself down and defied the critics who somehow wanted to clear his voice.
"As Sebastian Vettel has just announced his retirement at the end of 2022, I would like to pay tribute to his fantastic F1 career with four titles and 53 wins. Thank you, Sebastian, for all you have brought to our sport. I wish you the best for the future," wrote FIA (International Automobile Federation) President Mohammed Ben Sulayem, who even openly criticized the "rainbow bike" worn by Vettel, a symbol of his support for the LGBTQIA+ community.
"Congratulations on all that you have achieved and will inevitably continue to achieve, Sebastian. A total legend of our sport," Alpine also celebrated via social media.
"A passionate F1 history buff who has enjoyed a remarkable career. Congratulations on all your achievements, Seb. Enjoy your retirement!", said Williams.
And it wasn't Formula 1 that paid tribute to the German's career: MotoGP also left its message for all the legacy Vettel built in motor sport: "A champion on and off the track. Congratulations, Sebastian, for a magnificent career: applause!"