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Retired Sebastian Vettel Refuses to Let F1 Role Go as Timer Ticks on Final Goodbye

Published 02/03/2023, 5:45 AM EST

Sebastian Vettel donned several roles apart from being an F1 driver for his teams, landing him different names such as “fireman Seb” and “detective Seb,” amongst others. But one responsibility that he held as one of the senior drivers on the grid was that of director of the Grand Prix Drivers’ Association (GPDA), a position that he has held since 2010.

But since the driver retired after the end of the 2022 season, the appointment has been uncertain as to whether the German will continue in the role or not. However, his retirement will not hinder him because retired drivers can also hold the position. One such example is that of Alex Wurz, a retired driver who now serves as the chairman of the group.

As quoted by PlanetF1, over Sebastian Vettel’s tenure with the GPDA, Alex said, “We will decide on [Vettel’s role] during the first part of the season. As we all wanted to give Seb time to consider his own future with perhaps continuous involvement in the GPDA,” adding that in case the German steps down, a vote will be held in Baku, the first European race on the calendar, when F1 races there.

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Vettel hasn’t been seen much in public since his retirement. According to Red Bull’s advisor, Helmut Marko, the German and his family were out in the Arctic. Although, he did make an appearance alongside Mick Schumacher during the Race of Champions.

Sebastian Vettel as the chairman of the GPDA

Alexander Wurz has been serving as the chairman and director since 2014. But what’s being noted is that while there can be multiple directors, as there are with George Russell, Sebastian Vettel, and Anastasia Fowle, there can only be one chairman.

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Speaking on Vettel’s chances of becoming the chairman of the group, Wurz said, “Of course Seb could do the chairman of the GPDA job, as much as he has the greatest potential to be the boss of many other organisations.”

He added, “We as F1 are lucky to have had him and I am certain we will see him again in some sort of capacity or role, and if only as an observer and continuous ambassador of the sport.”

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WATCH THIS STORY: Sebastian Vettel’s Championship Seasons

Sebastian Vettel’s retirement brought up a range of emotions for the fans of the sport and the driver himself. If the driver does decide to step down from a role, it would spell both bad and good news. The driver could distance himself from F1 in all capacities, which would be bad, but it would also hint at the possibility of him taking on a managerial role somewhere, as Helmut Marko has hinted.

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Written by:

Manan Goel is a Formula 1 author at EssentiallySports. As a literature student at Delhi University, he had been a geek for fiction and a nerd for sports. He claims Sebastian Vettel was his first love after seeing him at the Indian Grand Prix, and he has been a fan of the sport and Red Bull ever since.

Edited by:

Varunkumaar Chelladurai

Retired Sebastian Vettel Refuses to Let F1 Role Go as Timer Ticks on Final Goodbye

Sebastian Vettel as the chairman of the GPDA

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