Mark Webber once revealed the moment Sebastian Vettel declared Formula 1 was ‘not for me’

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Sebastian Vettel had a distinguished Formula 1 career, earning four world titles in four years with Red Bull.

His attempts at winning the drivers’ championship with Ferrari fell short, but he stuck around for a few more years while he harboured dreams of returning to the top.

Vettel’s career lasted 15 years in Formula 1 before he hung up his racing boots for good at the end of 2022, following a tough spell with Aston Martin.

His driving style had always been more suited to the V8 Red Bull machines that he dominated the early 2010s with, when on his day, nobody could stop him.

Vettel ‘kept quiet’ about a long-term Ferrari issue with rear instability that is now plaguing ex-rival Lewis Hamilton’s time with the team.

The four-time champion makes Christian Horner’s all-time Red Bull line-up, but a return to the sport now feels off the cards, despite quiet rumours of a return over the last few seasons.

READ MORE: He is the F1 driver who once questioned Sebastian Vettel’s mental strength as teammates before being sacked by Red Bull

Mark Webber says Sebastian Vettel declared Formula 1 ‘not for me’ after first test in 2005

A Red Bull employee feared they would quit Formula 1 immediately after Vettel’s first title triumph in 2010, because they had achieved what they had set out to do.

Fortunately, they remained and went on to dominate in 2011, win again in 2012 and blast their competition away in 2013.

However, the German wasn’t always such a machine behind the wheel, and it took him some time to develop his raw talents.

Mark Webber once told the Beyond The Grid podcast that a teenage Vettel once admitted the sport was ‘not’ for him yet, after a test with Williams in 2005.

“Sebastian was more complete, even though he arrived two years later after Nico,” he said. “I got to work with Sebastian in ’08, actually Seb tested the Williams in I think it was ’05, and he was a rabbit in the headlights.

“Obviously, that was way too early in Jerez, and he said this is not for me. This is so quick, obviously his head fell off in three minutes flat, and he couldn’t hang onto it, physically, he wasn’t there.”

READ MORE: Sebastian Vettel chooses between Lewis Hamilton and Michael Schumacher for the ‘greatest’ Formula 1 driver in history

How Red Bull held ‘talks’ with Kimi Raikkonen to replace Mark Webber at Red Bull

Through Red Bull’s first few years of success, Webber was a constant. Although he clashed with Vettel, the two managed to bring eight trophies home in four years.

When the time came for Webber to retire at the end of the 2013 season, he was replaced by fellow Aussie Daniel Ricciardo.

However, team boss Horner held ‘talks’ with Kimi Raikkonen before the Finn opted for a return to Ferrari instead.

At the time, he had been one of the most impressive drivers and had a good relationship with Vettel. It would have been interesting to see how they would have fared together in 2014.