‘He's a great people person’ – Team bosses back Vettel to return in F1 management role in the future
Sebastian Vettel won’t be on the grid this season, but team bosses have backed the four-time Formula 1 champion to excel at whatever he tries. Even if that’s managing a driver, or within a team…
Vettel bowed out of Formula 1 with four championships and 53 Grands Prix victories under his belt, leaving fans with fond memories of the German driver’s inimitable personality and dominant stint with Red Bull.
READ MORE: How should Sebastian Vettel be remembered – and how good was he really?
As Vettel prepared to leave Aston Martin and retire at the end of 2022, team bosses were asked whether they could envisage Vettel returning to F1 in a role managing teams or drivers.
Red Bull Team Principal Christian Horner – who, of course, worked with Vettel during his title-winning years – said: “He's a great people person. He understands the value of people and the contribution that they make to success.”
Horner added: “And I think he's turned into somewhat of a driver counsellor in the last couple of years as well. So, it really depends what he wishes to apply himself to.
“He's one of those guys that's annoyingly good at anything he chooses to do. So I'm sure if he chose that path he would be very good at it.”
Aston Martin Team Principal Mike Krack, who was also chief race engineer for BMW Sauber when Vettel made his F1 debut with the team, considered whether the former champion would consider such a role.
“I don't know if he wants to do that. But I think he has the personality and all the skill… [that] I think the ones that are needed to do that. So I think he could be a good one, yeah.”
Vettel also raced for Ferrari from 2015-20 before joining Aston Martin, and former Ferrari Team Principal Mattia Binotto offered similar praise when it came to the champion’s personality.
“At Ferrari, we have been lucky to have him as part of the team and it has been six important years. He brought a lot as a driver but more than that, I think he brought a lot as a person – and each single Ferrari fan still loves Sebastian. I think that's a matter of fact.
“I think... all the people in Ferrari are still loving him and that's the way we are feeling. They have been incredible years, I think,” said Binotto.
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