Formula One driver Sebastian Vettel: career at a glance
It was at the age of eight that Sebastian Vettel discovered his passion for go-karts and from then on, there was no looking back. The young sports fanatic’s boyish passion for kart racing rapidly evolved into a career choice as Vettel hastily established himself as a notable talent in Germany prior to his meteoric ascension onto the international stage where he swiftly made his mark by triumphing at the European junior kart title and seized meaningful wins at prominent annual competitions at Monaco and Paris-Bercy. It was not long before Vettel’s impressive form brought him to the notice of racing giants Red Bull, who quickly enrolled the promising German into the squad’s young driver program in 1998 after an impressive test run display.
Under the helpful eye of his Red Bull mentors, Vettel kept up his impressive form and soon got the go-ahead to become a member of the Austrian drink manufacturer’s junior squad. The German teenager made the transition to single-seater competitions at a tender age of only fifteen and in 2003 tasted life at the professional circuit when competing at the challenging Formula BMW series where Vettel overcame the odds by recording five victories and finishing runners-up in the championship race. The German was to emulate the success of his rookie year in his second season at the circuit in style after seizing 18 wins out of 20 competitions, and sealed the championship title with a highly conclusive 124-point lead. Bursting with ambition, the newly crowned champion resolved to embark on a new journey at the Formula Three Euro Series. However, in spite of the move, Vettel maintained close ties with BMW and in September 2005 the motor giants offered him a test drive with a BMW Williams Formula One car.
In spite of his inability to win the title over his first two years in F3, the German nevertheless made a meaningful contribution and in August 2006, French-Canadian Jacques Villeneuve’s unexpected exit from the BMW Sauber team made an opening for Vettel who was selected as a substitution for third driver Robert Kubica. Although he was an unfamiliar name within the Formula One circles, Vettel was determined to prove his mettle instantly. The German got the breakthrough he was looking for and concluded the initial practice run as the fastest on track. From then on there was no turning back and BMW Sauber reenlisted the driver for the 2007 season.
Vettel further distinguished himself at the U.S. Grand Prix at Indianapolis after being asked to make an unscheduled appearance to fill the place of injured driver Robert Kubica. The German made an instant impact after grabbing the eighth position, establishing himself as the least-aged racer ever to have contributed to championship points. Following this impressive feat, Vettel would win a race drive contract with Toro Rosso as a substitution for the retiring American Scott Speed, a position that would take effect after the 2007 Hungarian Grand Prix event. The German made an instant impact, finishing fourth in China to mark his team’s most successful performance ever and was unsurprisingly reenlisted on the payroll again for the coming 2008 season. Although Vettel’s second season with Toro Rosso began less smoothly, his performances gained momentum as the season progressed and won for the team and himself the first Grand Prix at the Italian event. Soon after, the German sealed a contract with Red Bull’s “senior” RBR team for the following year.
Vettel maintained the winning form with his new employers, where the Austrian giants made a serious attempt at clinching the 2009 championship title amidst some serious competition from Brawn GP. The German helped the team seize its first pole standing and race victory at the Chinese event and moved on to secure three more victories before taking the second position in the driver standings, only nine points behind the Englishman, Jason Button.
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