SEBASTIAN VETTEL WILL RETIRE AT THE END OF 2022
4x World Champion Sebastian Vettel will retire at the end of the 2022 season bringing one of the greatest careers in Formula One to an end. It was only recently to when this is written that speculation had come up about Seb's future but it is now confirmed, he will retire at the end of the year.
Vettel started out in Formula One properly in 2007 - that being his first full season at the top of motorsport with BMW Sauber / Toro Rosso where he finished 14th overall scoring six points.
In 2008 Vettel stayed with the Toro Rosso team where he took his maiden victory at the Italian Grand Prix. In 2008 he finished an overall position of 8th scoring 35 points.
It was in 2009 when Vettel was called up to the Red Bull team where he would partner Mark Webber until 2013. In 2009 Vettel took four wins in China, Britain, Japan and Abu Dhabi meaning he would finish second overall to Jenson Button in the WDC, with a final points total of 84.
It was 2010 when the Vettel reign really began as the Red Bull team had found the secret formula and would go onto dominate the sport for the next four years, up until the next big regulation change in 2014.
In 2010 - despite only winning five races; Malaysia, Valencia, Japan, Brazil and Abu Dhabi - Seb finished the season on 256 points enough to take the title meaning he would become the youngest ever World Champion at the time.
From 2011 - 2013 Vettel won a further 29 races winning 3 more Drivers Championships on the bounce dominating the sport and having some fantastic battles with Fernando Alonso - especially in 2012.
In 2014 - the regulations changed giving us some very ugly cars but Red Bull struggled massively and Seb now partnered with Daniel Ricciardo who took victory at Canada. Vettel did not win a race in 2014 despite his best efforts.
In 2015 Vettel made the move the Ferrari where he joined forces with 2007 World Champion Kimi Raikkonen. It was with the Scuderia where Seb returned to the top spot on the podium winning in Malaysia, Hungary and Singapore. Vettel wouldn't win a race again until 2017.
In 2017 Vettel won another five races; Australia, Bahrain, Monaco, Hungary and Brazil. Seb continued to add to his race wins in 2019 now paired with young driver Charles Leclerc winning his 53 race at Singapore a track which he has dominated over the years.
In 2021 Vettel moved to the newly rebranded Aston Martin team which has lacked speed and Vettel often finds himself fighting for scraps towards the end of the field. For 2021 and 2022 he was paired with Lance Stroll.
Vettel has become a legend in Formula One a four time World Champion, 53 race wins, 122 podiums a career anyone would be proud of and Vettel has done this whilst becoming one of the most loved people in the paddock.
The question now on everyones lip's I'm sure is... who will replace him?
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