Max Verstappen & Co Get Emotional Applauding Sebastian Vettel as Curtains Close On F1 Legacy : “That Just Shows How He Is”

Christian Horner screaming “Sebastian Vettel you are the world champion” still rings loud in the ears of many F1 fans. The German became the youngest-ever world champion in sports history after his emphatic triumph in 2010. However, Vettel announced he would hang his helmet at the end of this season via Instagram. This weekend’s Abu Dhabi GP will be Vettel’s last race in F1.

The 4-time world champion has started 298 races in F1. He’s won 53 of them and stood on the podium a further 122 times. Moreover, he is also 3rd on the list of most races won by an F1 driver behind Michael Schumacher and Lewis Hamilton. Vettel also set the record for most consecutive race wins in F1, which is 9.

The German started his F1 journey as a test driver for BMW Sauber in 2006. Since he was part of the Red Bull Junior Team, they soon promoted Vettel to Toro Rosso (Now AlphaTauri) where he became the then-youngest driver to win an F1 race.

The former Red Bull driver has enjoyed many famous title challenges. His rivalry with Fernando Alonso and Lewis Hamilton was one of the fiercest. Sebastian joined Aston Martin from Ferrari before he made his decision to hang his helmet.

READ MORE: In Denial, Lewis Hamilton Joins the Masses With Mega Masterplan to Tempt Sebastian Vettel Back to F1

Vettel will hope to end his F1 career on a high in his last race with Aston Martin. The 4-time champion will look to help his team finish P6 above Alfa Romeo. They currently trail the Swiss constructors by 5 points.

F1 drivers pay tribute and reminisce their time with retiring F1 legend Sebastian Vettel

We all felt it when Lewis Hamilton said “It’s sad to see he’s stopping”. Even though everybody knew this day would eventually come, not many were prepared for it. Sebastian is one of the greats of the game and it will be hard to replace his persona in the paddock.

Vettel’s colleagues poured in tributes for the retiring legend. Max Verstappen and Charles Leclerc shared a heartwarming story about the German driver.

Meanwhile, Fernando Alonso revealed a special helmet in tribute to Vettel. He shared the special design of his helmet on his Instagram. The Spaniard captioned the post, “Danke Seb, One last time sharing the track with you, It will be emotional and sad at the same time, but I wish you all the best for your next chapter.”

Whereas Daniel Ricciardo and Pierre Gasly also shared their fond memories with Seb.

WATCH THIS STORY: Breaking down the intense title battle between F1 champions Lewis Hamilton Sebastian Vettel 

Sebastian Vettel will retire from F1 racing, but the legend will always stay close to our hearts. What is your favorite memory of the 4-time world champion?