F1 News, Reports and Race Results

Leclerc honours Vettel with special Abu Dhabi GP helmet

Charles Leclerc is dedicating his Abu Dhabi GP helmet to his Ferrari teammate Sebastian Vettel, whose chapter with the Scuderia will come to an end on Sunday evening.

The helmet tributes for this weekend continue to pour in with Leclerc following George Russell's nod to the Williams family, while Vettel himself has also whipped up a special edition lid for his final outing with Ferrari.

Leclerc has had the upper hand over Vettel since he joined Ferrari at the start of the 2019 season, and while there have been a few run-ins and contentious moments between the pair - Interlagos last year comes to mind - the Monegasque and Vettel have overall enjoyed a god relationship at the House of Maranello.

Leclerc's tribute design, partly inspired by Vettel's own helmet motif, is undoubtedly a measure of the respect the two-time Grand Prix winner feels for the four-time world champion.

"New helmet for the last race of the season," Leclerc wrote on social media. "Danke Seb ! Let’s make this last race a good one."

Vettel was moved by his teammate's gesture.

"Charles showed it to me before free practice," he commented. "And I said [hey, that looks like my helmet] and he said it that it was a homage to my design. It's beautiful and a nice gesture from him!"

.

Vettel's unceremonious ousting from the Scuderia last spring, well before the season had started, hasn't left the German in a state of blinding bitterness, as the true gentleman he is pays tribute to his team with a glittering Scuderia-themed lid.

Vettel will have raced for Ferrari for six seasons and delivered 14 wins. But bringing the world title back to Maranello has eluded the German unfortunately.

 

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Phillip van Osten

Motor racing was a backdrop from the outset in Phillip van Osten's life. Born in Southern California, Phillip grew up with the sights and sounds of fast cars thanks to his father, Dick van Osten, an editor and writer for Auto Speed and Sport and Motor Trend. Phillip's passion for racing grew even more when his family moved to Europe and he became acquainted with the extraordinary world of Grand Prix racing. He was an early contributor to the monthly French F1i Magazine, often providing a historic or business perspective on Formula 1's affairs. In 2012, he co-authored along with fellow journalist Pierre Van Vliet the English-language adaptation of a limited edition book devoted to the great Belgian driver Jacky Ickx. He also authored "The American Legacy in Formula 1", a book which recounts the trials and tribulations of American drivers in Grand Prix racing. Phillip is also a commentator for Belgian broadcaster Be.TV for the US Indycar series.

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