Although he was not able to help his team overtake Alfa Romeo in the constructors’ championship, Sebastian Vettel bowed out of Formula 1 with a point scoring performance in Abu Dhabi.
The German has had a stellar career in F1, winning four back to back drivers’ championships with Red Bull before spells with Ferrari and Aston Martin.
The 35-year-old has been begged to reconsider his decision to retire after he rolled back the years in the final rounds of the season with a succession of ‘Driver of the Day’ performances.
Vettel took part in the traditional donuts on the grid with the top three drivers after the race and delivered a heartfelt retirement speech to the fans, in which he reflected on his illustrious career.
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Sky Sports pundit Martin Brundle has now given the disappointing opinion that he does not think Vettel will ever return to race in Formula 1, after reading into the Germans speech after the Grand Prix.
“I do remember a quite emotional interview with Fernando Alonso on the grid in Abu Dhabi 2018 as he was saying farewell, and he’s just signed a new two-year agreement taking him to at least the end of 2024… but there was more of a finality about Seb’s words and actions suggesting he won’t be back on the grid,” argued Brundle.
“In a German interview, he said that he would be disappointed if he did feel the need to come back because then he would likely have failed on what he plans to do next.”
A late retirement from Lewis Hamilton saw Vettel move up into P10 in the final race of the season, ensuring that the German bowed out of Formula 1 on a high.
Vettel has had a villain to hero character arc in Formula 1, initially having his haters for challenging British hero Hamilton, before showing his true side and maturing with age to become one of the most loved drivers on the grid.
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“Like us all, he has mellowed of course but he’s always had that classic ‘old head on young shoulders’ demeanour and has been a pleasure to encounter and interview over those 15 seasons,” said Brundle in a touching tribute.
“He’s a class act as a driver and as a person and that’s why everyone had come to admire and respect him. My personal favourite was when he felt cheated with a penalty at the end of the 2019 Canadian GP and he moved the 1st and 2nd finisher boards around in parc ferme. Classic.”
The 35-year-old has said that he wants to focus his energy and free time on his family, which makes him unlikely to return to Formula 1 any time soon.