Vettel Sr: Running at the back 'accelerated' Seb's thoughts of retirement

Norbert Vettel says that competing at the back of the field this season with Aston Martin "accelerated" his son's thoughts of retiring from F1.

Sebastian Vettel transferred to Aston Martin in 2021 after leaving Ferrari, motivated by the Silverstone's based outfit's challenge of becoming a front-running team in F1.

The four-time world champion brought his talent and expertise to Aston Martin, hoping to help his new squad improve over time its position in the pecking order.

In his first season with Aston, Vettel scored seven top-ten finishes, enjoying his best result at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix where he finished second behind Red Bull's Sergio Perez.

But the introduction this year of F1's new regulations hasn't benefitted the British team.

Aston's new-generation AMR22 has often constrained Vettel and teammate Lance Stroll to the lower tier of F1's midfield, leaving the team itself a lowly P9 in the Constructors' standings.

Norbert Vettel revealed a recent low point suffered by his son that weighed on his decision to leave the sport at the end of the year.

"It’s a shame, but I understand him," Vettel Sr. told RTL, commenting on his son's retirement plans.

"It was an incredible career for my son, but the low point was Austria [this year]. It hurt him so much to drive around at the end of the field and that accelerated those thoughts for him."

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Vettel will conclude his remarkable 16-year tenure in Formula 1 in November in Abu Dhabi, and Aston Martin team owner Lawrence Stroll is determined to give his driver "a fabulous send-off".

As for the 53-time Grand Prix winners' father, Norbert is eager to watch his son race one last time at a venue that is close to the family's heart.

"I definitely want to go to another race and I’ll probably choose Monza because that’s where he took his first Formula 1 win with Toro Rosso," said Norbert.

"That’s where his great career as a four-time World Champion started with his first win."

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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.