Sebastian Vettel

Sebastian Vettel (German pronunciation: [zeˈbasti̯a(ː)n ˈfɛtl̩]) is a German racing driver, who most recently 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. Vettel started his Formula One career as a test driver for BMW Sauber in 2006, making a one-off racing appearance in 2007. As part of the Red Bull Junior Team, Vettel appeared for Toro Rosso later that year and was kept as a full-time driver for 2008, where he scored a victory in the Italian Grand Prix to become the then-youngest race winner. Vettel was promoted to Red Bull in 2009. With the team, Vettel won four consecutive titles from 2010 to 2013, the first of which made him the sport's youngest World Champion. In 2013, he set the then-record for the most consecutive race wins with nine. Vettel signed for Ferrari for 2015 replacing Fernando Alonso and became Mercedes' and Lewis Hamilton's closest challenger in two title fights in 2017 and 2018, although he finished both years as runner-up. He parted ways with Ferrari at the end of the 2020 season to race with Aston Martin for the 2021 and 2022 seasons. He retired at the end of the 2022 season, having achieved the fourth-most wins (53), fourth-most pole positions (57), fifth-most fastest laps (38), and third-most podium finishes (122) in Formula One. Outside of Formula One, Vettel won the 2015 Race of Champions. He is also a climate activist and co-owner of the Germany SailGP Team.