Sebastian Vettel will go down as one of the greatest Formula 1 drivers of all time, as well as one of the best human beings to grace the sport.
The German dominated F1 in his days with Red Bull, winning four consecutive championships before moving on to Ferrari, where he never quite managed to topple the Mercedes dominance with Lewis Hamilton.
After his spell with the Scuderia, Vettel will finish his career with Aston Martin, a period where the 35-year-old has seen himself become one of the most loved people in Formula 1, constantly going above and beyond to help anyone and everyone he possibly can.
The four-time world champion initially shared a fierce rivalry with Lewis Hamilton, as the pair tussled for world championships for the majority of the 2010’s but the two legends of the sport have since developed a close friendship.
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Hamilton has expressed his gratitude for Vettel choosing to take the knee with him, and always standing up for what he believes in, using his fame and influence for good on numerous occasions.
Before the Grand Prix weekend gets underway, all 20 drivers were photographed enjoying a meal in celebrations of Vettel’s career, toasting one final time to one of the best drivers of our generation.
It has now been revealed that not only was the meal organised by Hamilton as he sought a way to honour his friend, he also picked up the bill for every driver, an amazing gesture from the seven-time world champion.
Vettel was once upon a time public enemy number one, as he dominated the sport with Red Bull, who were the new team on the block, and prevented fan favourite Hamilton from winning titles in his early career.
Since then the German has constantly campaigned for what he believes to be right and has been a crucial figure in F1 as he helps to change the sport for the better wherever possible.
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Over the past two years Vettel has struck up a father-son level relationship with young Mick Schumacher, which captured the hearts of fans who remember the 35-year-old’s relationship with Mick’s father Michael Schumacher during his racing career.
Vettel will be wearing an remake of one of his iconic Red Bull helmets in Abu Dhabi, and fans will have a chance to bid on sections of the helmet on which they can put a photo of their choice, with all proceeds going to charity.
Aston Martin will be hoping that Vettel can go out on a high and help them overtake Alfa Romeo in the constructors’ championship, who currently sit five points ahead going into the final race.