Sebastian Vettel plays down importance of fairytale end to career

Sebastian Vettel, Aston Martin, Brazil, 2022 — Photo: © LAT Images

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Vettel plays down importance of fairytale end to career

Vettel has two races left to complete

Ian Parkes & Ewan Gale

Thursday 10 November 2022 18:15

Sebastian Vettel has played down the importance of ending his F1 career with a flourish.

The German is one of the most decorated drivers in F1 history with four world championships, 53 wins and 122 podiums in a career stretching back to 2007.

But Vettel announced his retirement from the sport at the end of the season ahead of the Hungarian Grand Prix earlier this year having spent two campaigns at the lower end of the midfield with Aston Martin.

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Positive results have been few and far between, though stunning drives at the Circuit of the Americas and in the wet at Suzuka brought welcome points in the team's quest for sixth in the constructors' standings.

Asked how important those positive results were to take into his retirement, Vettel replied: "I thought a lot of things about making the decision, but there was a lot of thought from the outside, maybe, is it important to have a good race?

"First of all, it would be nice to win my last race, I am realistic I think it is going to be very difficult.

"From the outside, you would think it would be much better to go out on a high and it is so important to win a race or to win another championship and then retire.

"But the way I felt and the more I thought about it, the only person it really matters to is myself. So of course, you could say it is a nicer story and a nicer way to go, but then you have got to cope with leaving anyway.

"It is only me, in a way, not egotistic, but that is the way I see it. I am at peace with it. I know my last race will probably not be the highlight of the races I have done so it doesn't matter too much to me."

Addressing his two top-eight finishes in Japan and the United States, Vettel insisted: "It was great.

"Like I said, I enjoyed those races a lot more than I did Mexico, for example, where you are going backwards because you are too slow, that is for sure.

"But I think overall, I had so many races where I was going forwards and not going backwards."

"Routine" preventing emotional throwbacks - Vettel

Vettel's penultimate race comes at Interlagos this weekend, a venue that he has won at three times and also provided him with his dramatic third world championship in 2013.

The German fought back from contact with Bruno Senna on the opening lap to finish in the required top-five position, overcoming significant damage to do so.

Asked if his emotions were changing ahead of the final two weekends of his career, Vettel explained: "Well it is only one week really.

"I am looking forward to the weekend. I love this place. I think it is a great track. I don't drive here or come here and think of all the things that happened. It is more like when you ask it now, all the things come back.

"But I think you develop a certain routine over the years where it just feels like another race.

"Sure it is two more and that's it but yeah, generally I don't put it in relation to this is the last two. I don't know how it will feel next week.

"But in general, I am looking forward to what is after, so it is not like I look a lot of time looking back and I am sad now."