What every F1 driver said about Sebastian Vettel’s retirement

The four-time F1 champion will bow out of the sport at the end of the year after announcing it on his new social media account on Thursday morning.

Here’s how the drivers reacted to the news on media day at the Hungarian Grand Prix:

Lewis Hamilton

Hamilton battled Vettel for the 2017 and 2018 drivers’ championships, ultimately coming out on top on both occasions.

“Seb, it’s been an honour to call you a competitor and an ever greater honour to call you my friend. Leaving this sport better than you found it is always the goal. I have no doubt that whatever comes next for you will be exciting, meaningful, and rewarding. Love you, man.”

Charles Leclerc

Leclerc spent two years as Vettel’s teammate in 2019 and 2020, replacing him as Ferrari’s team leader.

“It’s sad, it’s sad for me. Maybe for him he’s much happier in the place he’s going now. Obviously it’s going to be strange not to see Seb inside the paddock. I’ve learned so much driving with him and he’s always been super nice with me. I’ll definitely miss Seb in the paddock, I wish him all the best. I’m sure he will find other things that will make him happy in a different way.”

A guy I looked up to since I started, literally. Thanks for being the role model we need and improving the sport we love. Danke Seb pic.twitter.com/1qe3nwiGP1
— Lando Norris (@LandoNorris) July 28, 2022

Fernando Alonso

The Spaniard went head-to-head with Vettel for the 2010 and 2012 drivers’ titles. On both occasions, Vettel came out on top.

“Yeah, what to say… we will miss him after so many years, sharing the track together, good fights. Obviously in all his championships I was somehow in there as well. He’s a great champion and also a great man, with very strong values, lovely family – that is the decision also, into this, I heard [it’s about] his family. So wishing him the best and hopefully he’s around in the paddock in the future.”

Max Verstappen

"He has achieved so much. It is understandable to retire. He had an amazing career. He is a great ambassador.

"To see him go? You can see it coming. We get older, we retire. It is never nice when that moment comes.

"It is important he enjoys his family. F1 is such a short period in your life. Now it's time to enjoy it."

Sergio Perez

"I feel very proud of Seb and what he’s achieved. He’s a great legend of the sport, a great guy.

"He’s always been very fair, very vocal. He’s been very successful, has a beautiful family.

"It’s everything you would hope for a colleague to achieve, so I’m very proud of him. I wish him the best, to him and his family."

Lance Stroll

"He's achieved so much in this sport, he's been a great teammate. I've enjoyed working alongside Seb for the last year and a half. It's been great. He's achieved so much.

"This is a chapter in his life that he's moving on from and he has a family at home & other things to look forward to. It's been an incredible career for him."

Carlos Sainz

"I wish him all the best. For me, since the beginning, he has been a great role model.

"I was privileged enough to be the simulator driver when he was at his peak, at Red Bull. I got an insight into how to be successful like he was. In those years he would stop to talk with me, to give me advice. He is an ambassador for the younger generation.

"Everyone in the paddock loves him. You won't hear anyone speak bad about Seb."

Yuki Tsunoda

"He is a great personality and a good ambassador for F1. I am lucky that I have been close to him. I have learned lots of things from him - driving behind him or in front of him."

George Russell

"Such an inspiration and humble bloke. No one has got a bad word to say about Seb. He's good fun to be around. He will be looking forward to everything he's got planned in the future.

"As I said, an inspiration."

Daniel Ricciardo

"You know in a way it's sad of course because you're losing a bit of a legend of the sport.

"It's one of those ones you're sad but also happy for him to start 'chapter two' of his life!"

Valtteri Bottas

"Always a good driver to race against and race with. With him, there's always respect, he's always going to race hard but fair. Really enjoyed the battles. Such a nice guy, one of those drivers that's not afraid of speaking.”