Sebastian Vettel issues emotional Michael Schumacher statement

Four-time F1 world champion Sebastian Vettel has admitted he still misses his friend and mentor Michael Schumacher after an emotional tribute to him at the Italian Grand Prix.

With both stars hailing from Germany, Schumacher was a hero of Vettel's growing up, with a young Sebastian having watched Michael dominate the sport and win seven world championships in the mid-to-late 1990s and early 2000s.

Schumacher's first retirement in 2006 came one year before Vettel joined the grid, but the pair went on to race against each other in F1 for three seasons between 2010 and 2012, when Schumacher returned with Mercedes.

The pair also formed a winning team for Germany at the Race of Champions, winning the Nations' Cup at the event six times in a row between 2007 and 2012.

During that time, Schumacher was a friend and mentor to Vettel, a role which Vettel would go on to perform for his son Mick when he joined F1 in 2021.

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Of course, Schumacher is still with us, but sadly suffered life-altering injuries in a skiing accident in 2013. The details of that and his health have remained a closely guarded secret, and the F1 legend has not been seen publicly since.

Still, F1 will never forget him, as evidenced by Vettel's tribute to his friend at Monza, where he drove his championship-winning Ferrari F2002 around the track ahead of the Italian Grand Prix.

Reflecting on that drive, an emotional Vettel said it made him feel Schumacher's absence even more.

“It’s very difficult to find the right words,” Vettel explained in a video on his Instagram.

“Starting with just the noise, these cars bring back so many childhood memories, and most of them were inspired by Michael and Michael driving that car, these cars, the red car, clinching his fists in the air after a grand prix.

“He was my childhood hero, and these special circumstances to get inside the car today on this track in front of the tifosi and the home crowd for Ferrari, it’s very difficult to put in words.

“It’s mixed with a ton of emotions. The sound of the engine, the memories as a child, the feeling inside the car, to be back in a Formula 1 just before a grand prix is on, with all the fans watching, what it means, the connection to Michael, my friend that we all miss. I think I will draw from that moment for a long time.

“He has been such a big inspiration to me and such a strong supporter. I cherish the friendship."

Seb just misses Michael

Vettel continued, revealing he misses being able to phone up the seven-time F1 champion and 'ask about life', revealing that the two had got close towards the end of his career.

“I just miss him, to phone him up and ask about life. Especially towards the end of his career, we really got close and started to talk about meaningful things and impactful things and what you want to leave and going forward. Formula 1 has shaped both of us so much," Vettel added.

“I’m very happy and feel very, very humble and small today, having had the opportunity to drive that car and experience the forces as much as the emotions.

“I want to believe, and I do believe, that his spirit was very much on board. I definitely felt very alive.”

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Written by

Simmey Hannifin Donaldson - F1 Editor

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