Sebastian Vettel
Updated: Wikipedia source
Sebastian Vettel (German pronunciation: [zeˈbasti̯a(ː)n ˈfɛtl̩] ; born 3 July 1987) is a German former racing driver who competed in Formula One from 2007 to 2022. Vettel won four Formula One World Drivers' Championship titles, which he won consecutively from 2010 to 2013 with Red Bull, and remains the youngest-ever World Drivers' Champion; he won 53 Grands Prix across 16 seasons. Born and raised in Heppenheim, Vettel began competitive kart racing aged eight. After a successful karting career—culminating in his victory at the junior direct-drive Karting European Championship in 2001—Vettel graduated to junior formulae. He started his career in Formula BMW ADAC, dominating the championship in 2004 with 18 wins from 20 races. Vettel then progressed to the Formula 3 Euro Series in 2005, taking several victories and finishing runner-up to Paul di Resta the following season. A test driver for BMW Sauber since 2006, Vettel made his Formula One debut at the 2007 United States Grand Prix. Vettel replaced Scott Speed at Toro Rosso after the European Grand Prix for the remainder of the 2007 season, as part of the Red Bull Junior Team. Retaining his seat for 2008, Vettel achieved his maiden pole position and victory at the Italian Grand Prix to become the then-youngest driver to win a Formula One Grand Prix. Vettel was promoted to parent team Red Bull in 2009, taking several wins as he finished runner-up to Jenson Button in the World Drivers' Championship. After winning the title-deciding Abu Dhabi Grand Prix in 2010, Vettel became the youngest-ever Formula One World Drivers' Champion, aged 23. Vettel won his second and third championships in 2011 and 2012, dominating the former and winning the latter amidst a close title battle with Fernando Alonso. Vettel set several records in 2013, winning 13 Grands Prix—including a then-record nine consecutive victories—to claim his fourth consecutive title with Red Bull. After a winless 2014 campaign, Vettel signed for Ferrari, replacing Alonso to partner Kimi Räikkönen; he took several wins in his debut season, finishing third in the standings. Following another winless season in 2016, Vettel emerged as the closest challenger to Mercedes and Lewis Hamilton, finishing runner-up in 2017 and 2018 after achieving several victories across both campaigns. Partnered by Charles Leclerc for 2019, Vettel took the final win of his career at the Singapore Grand Prix before leaving Ferrari at the end of the 2020 season. Vettel joined the recently established Aston Martin in 2021, where he scored his final podium finish at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix. Vettel retired at the end of the 2022 season, having achieved the fourth-most (third-most at the time of retiring) wins (53), fourth-most pole positions (57), fifth-most fastest laps (38), and fourth-most (third-most at the time of retiring) podium finishes (122) in Formula One. Vettel won the Race of Champions in 2015, further winning the Nations' Cup six consecutive times from 2007 to 2012, representing Germany alongside Michael Schumacher. He is also a prominent environmental and climate activist; since 2023, he has been co-owner of the Germany SailGP Team.