Formula 1 lost a number of beloved drivers at the end of the 2022 season, with fan favourites Mick Schumacher, Daniel Ricciardo and Sebastian Vettel all bidding farewell to the sport, albeit only temporarily for some.
Four-time champion Sebastian Vettel ended the season with a flurry of Driver of the Day awards and bowed out in Abu Dhabi with a Q3 appearance and point scoring race, however the German has ignored pleas from fans for him to remain in the sport.
After spells at the front of the grid with Red Bull and Ferrari, Vettel joined Aston Martin in 2020, sharing the rebranded Racing Point’s ambitions of becoming a regular on the F1 podium.
Vettel did manage to secure one podium finish during his two years with the team, coming in Baku in 2021, before seeing another podium in Hungary revoked following his inability to provide an adequate fuel sample following the race.
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Performance director at Aston Martin Tom McCullough has now spoken about the influence that Vettel has had on the team during his two year stay, claiming that he expects to see the impact of his influence pay dividends over the next few seasons.
“He’s had a big impact on our team,” claimed McCullough.
“He came from two big teams with the experience of winning races, winning championships, so he brought a lot of knowledge to our team, on a lot of small details: how to operate and how to develop the car, and what actually is important.
“The driver is one of the best sensors. We’ve got some very good tools and software, but the driver input is key.
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“He’s very motivational, he’s a lovely human being. He pushes everyone in every area, and he’s helped us lift our game.”
Vettel has played down suggestions that he could return to Formula 1 in the future, despite his knowledge and experience leading to some fans believing that the German would make a very good manager or team principal in Formula 1.
Aston Martin have replaced Vettel with 41-year-old Fernando Alonso, who unlike his German friend has expressed his interest in staying with the team following the eventual end of his racing career, hoping that his experience can be put to good use in a post-racing role with Aston Martin.