Sebastian Vettel

Sebastian Vettel was born in Heppenheim, Germany, in 1987 and came through karting before joining the Red Bull junior programme. His intelligence, discipline and technical interest were visible early. After test roles with BMW Sauber and a brief start with Toro Rosso, he became the youngest F1 race winner at the 2008 Italian Grand Prix, a victory that immediately marked him as a future champion. Vettel joined Red Bull Racing in 2009 and, with Adrian Newey’s cars, became the dominant driver of the early 2010s. He won four consecutive world championships from 2010 to 2013, combining superb qualifying, race starts and front-running control. Later spells with Ferrari and Aston Martin showed a different side of him: still fast, but also reflective, politically aware and increasingly willing to speak beyond racing. After retiring from Formula 1 at the end of 2022, Vettel has remained connected to the sport through appearances and environmental projects, while keeping a more private life. His legacy is broader than numbers alone. He is remembered as a relentless champion at Red Bull, a passionate Ferrari leader, and one of the drivers who helped bring conscience and personality into modern F1.