Sebastian Vettel Opens Up About Realizing His F1 Peak Was Behind Him
Four-time world champion Sebastian Vettel has candidly admitted the moment he knew he was past his prime in Formula 1.
“I didn’t have that, really, last ultimate push anymore,” Vettel confessed.
The German racing legend dominated the sport with Red Bull Racing, claiming four straight world titles from 2010 to 2013 – a feat only recently matched by Max Verstappen.
Looking back at his incredible career on the Beyond the Grid podcast, Vettel pinpointed exactly when he felt at his best.
“I came to Formula 1 in 2006, ’07 and I would say already by 2010, obviously I won the championship, I was sort of at my peak.”
That first championship victory came dramatically in the 2010 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, where he edged out Fernando Alonso and Mark Webber.
His second title in 2011 showed his growing confidence.
“Then in 2011, I was much more ready to win the championship than I was in 2010,” he explained. “And then probably strong years obviously winning the championship.”
## The Beginning of the Decline
Vettel’s career took a new turn when he joined Ferrari in 2015, but that elusive fifth world title never came with the Italian team.
After wrapping up his F1 journey with two seasons at Aston Martin in 2021 and 2022, Vettel now feels comfortable acknowledging when things started to change.
“2015 was a very strong year, ’17, ’18, and then ’19 and in fairness ’20, I was on my way down already,” he admitted.
It’s a surprisingly honest assessment from a driver who achieved so much in the sport.
Despite questioning his own performances in his later years, Vettel learned to accept his situation and still found moments of brilliance.
“Those years from a result point of view, of course I would have loved to see the team growing faster, but they were important for me because I started to feel really comfortable again with my driving,” he reflected.
“I think I did have peak performances even at a later stage. But overall peak, probably not anymore.”
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