Sebastian Vettel Was “Having a Lot of Thoughts” About Leaving F1 Before Choosing Aston Martin

Sebastian Vettel has finally signed for Aston Martin and will drive for them in the upcoming F1 season. This news brought an end to the lengthy debate surrounding Vettel and what his next move will be. Many pundits and former F1 drivers suggested he should take a year off, some others opined that he should retire, having won everything there is to win in F1.

However, in the end, the offer from Aston Martin was too tempting for the German to resist. Currently enduring a nightmare of a campaign with Ferrari, the move to Aston Martin gives Vettel a chance to be back amongst the frontrunners on the F1 grid, challenging for podiums and possibly wins on a regular basis.

Moreover, he would be the number 1 driver who could lead the team to the pinnacle of the sport. The move may certainly look like a no brainer. But, the decision wasn’t an easy one to make.

In fact, according to Vettel himself, he came really close to leaving the sport for good.

At the driver’s press conference ahead of the Tuscan Grand Prix, Vettel was asked how close he came to retiring from the sport. To that, Vettel replied in German saying, “Nah” which loosely translates to ‘close.’

Elaborating more on the topic, Vettel said, “I don’t know if there was a measure of how close you can get. But it was close in terms of having a lot of thoughts and deciding. Ultimately I have to put myself first in that regard, what’s best for me.

“And what I have decided now, I believe that’s best for me and I’m looking forward to prove it.”

What does Sebastian Vettel make of Racing Point’s performances in the recent past?

Vettel said, “I’m convinced in the team and the strength of the team. Not having the money in the recent years to perform on a similar level as the big teams – I think they have done remarkably well. There’s definitely guts in that team to prove people wrong.”

While his final season with the Scuderia may not have been what he’d hoped for, there is a renewed sense of optimism in him. He will join Aston Martin as a new man, desperate to show Ferrari of what might have been had things panned out better.