In an interview with CNN, Sebastian Vettel admitted that leaving the sport had crossed his mind during the 2020 FIA Formula 1 World Championship season.
His final season with Ferrari was not the exit season he would have wished to have with the team and it even left him feeling like F1 wasn’t for him anymore.
Speaking on the subject Vettel told CNN Sport: “Well, there was a point last year when I was definitely thinking about it. So, if you’re thinking about it, then I guess there’s also a chance that you’re not on the grid, so yeah, but here I am… I don’t know. I mean, I wasn’t in a rush.”
For the 2021 season, Vettel has switched race suits and will be driving for the rebranded Aston Martin Cognizant Formula One Team alongside Canadian Lance Stroll.
Even though Vettel is a veteran to the sport, he still feels like he has a point to prove to himself: “To me, yes. I don’t feel I need to prove anything for other people. It’s never really, you know, kicked my motivation. So, it’s only about myself. But basically, you know, I love racing, and I think you are the best judge in the car of your own performance.”
Looking forward to the upcoming season, Vettel believes the team is ‘fired up’ and keen to deliver in Aston Martin’s first season back in sixty years: “I think in terms of spirit, everyone is fired up and I think people are keen to over deliver, and I think there’s plenty of joy to get from when you over deliver. So, that’s the target.”
Vettel is going into his fifteenth season in F1. After all those years in the sport, some people may lose their love for the drive but not Vettel. To him, it doesn’t feel like he’s been part of the sport all those years and is just as excited to get going with a new team as much as he’s ever been.
“Yeah, it doesn’t feel like that. It has been that many, but it’s definitely exciting, too. Obviously being a different colour and a different environment and get to drive a different car. So that’s the thing that is still outstanding.”
