Sebastian Vettel pays heartwarming tribute to F1 legend Michael Schumacher

Four-time Formula 1 champion Sebastian Vettel has paid a heartwarming tribute to his hero Michael Schumacher after a recent appearance at the Race of Champions (ROC), where he drove alongside Michael's son, Mick.

The event took place last weekend in Sydney, Australia, just one week prior to the F1 season opener in Melbourne, with Vettel leading the way as a banner was unfurled encouraging the seven-time champion to 'keep fighting Michael'.

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During the event, Vettel formed 'Team Germany' alongside Mick Schumacher, but it was the French contingent of Victor Martins and Sebastian Loeb who were named Nations' Cup winners in the end. Loeb also emerged as the winning driver.

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Emotional Michael Schumacher tributes paid

Before these appearances, the German driver also competed alongside his father, where the two champions won the Nations’ Cup for Germany consecutively from 2007 until 2012.

During the 2025 event in Australia, Vettel unveiled a special tribute to his former team-mate and hero, where he gathered all competing drivers to pay homage to Schumacher.

The seven-time world champion suffered a traumatic brain injury in 2013 following a skiing accident, and the family have endeavoured to keep the details of his health private ever since.

In a stunning moment, Vettel, alongside Mick Schumacher and other competitors such as David Coulthard, unfurled a banner that read: “Keep fighting Michael - We miss you."

The message also displayed the website for the Keep Fighting Foundation, a charity founded by the Schumacher family in 2017 that promotes road safety and neuroscience research.

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Written by

Sheona Mountford - F1 Journalist

Sheona Mountford is a motorsport journalist specialising in F1. As a writer and contributor, she covers a wide range of motorsport series from F1 to F1 Academy, responsible for breaking news, live race coverage and in depth analysis of the sport and the culture around it.

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