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Sebastian Vettel was one of the most dominant drivers of the 21st century. In fact, he was an imperious performer.
Red Bull’s first starboy claimed four consecutive drivers’ championships between 2010 and 2013. Nowadays, he’s not the only driver from the Milton Keynes-based outfit to have achieved that.
Vettel retired from Formula 1 three years ago. Since then, his appearances at events have been limited, as he chooses to spend more and more time at home.
There were no rumours of a serious return for the 2026 F1 regulations, and it appears that at the age of 38, he’s well and truly done with single-seater racing.
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Vettel won’t replace Helmut Marko at Red Bull as an advisor to the team, despite being linked heavily with a return this summer.
Vettel’s only ‘regret’ was not realising his Formula 1 ‘influence’ sooner post-retirement. His fanbase was a lot bigger than he realised.
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Sebastian Vettel called Jarno Trulli a ‘nightmare’ to pass while dominating Formula 1
Vettel urged Lewis Hamilton to learn Italian ahead of his move to Ferrari this year. He realises how big the task is ahead of his ex-rival to lead them back to success.
It has now been 12 years since the last of the German’s title successes with Red Bull. 2013 was a year he ended by winning each of the last nine Grands Prix, consecutively.
When interviewed by Car and Driver just before that streak started, he was asked who the hardest driver to pass was, and he picked someone who wasn’t even on the grid anymore.
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“Who’s the hardest guy in the field to pass, other than your teammate?” he was asked.
“It depends. I think [Jarno] Trulli was a nightmare, to be honest,” Vettel replied. “Fortunately, he’s not around anymore. Somehow, he managed to be wider than the track limits.”
Trulli’s last race was in 2011 for Caterham. He later had a stint in Formula E, before bringing his single-seater career to an end.
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When did Sebastian Vettel come across Jarno Trulli on track?
By the time Vettel arrived on the grid as a full-time driver in 2008, Trulli already had more than 10 years of experience.
He was a canny operator driving for a Japanese manufacturer with big expectations (Toyota). Although Red Bull were strong in 2009, they’re likely to have crossed paths a few times.
2008 would have been the year they came across each other the most. They were separated by just one position and four points in the standings after the season finale in Brazil.
Vettel came out on top for Toro Rosso, but Trulli had already left his mark on the 21-year-old, so much so that he still remembered him five years later.
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