Retiring four-time F1 world champion Sebastian Vettel was honoured on Sunday evening at the 2022 Autosport Awards where the German was presented with a Gregor Grant Award.
The award recognizes an individual's lifetime achievement in motorsport and was bestowed upon Vettel for his 53 Grand Prix victories and his quartet of consecutive world titles won between 2010 to 2013.
After fifteen years spent at the pinnacle of motorsport, Vettel decided to call it a day on his life and times in F1. Upon receiving his award on Sunday evening, the 35-year-old described what he will miss the most about his racing life.
"What I love so much - initially I didn't get it because you're young, but I think the opportunity to work with so many people that are very passionate about what they do," Vettel said.
"I thought 10 years ago, 'That's normal, it's how everybody lives their lives'. But then I found out it's not normal and a lot of people don't have that privilege.
"You have so much motivation from the inside of you coming out and to meet so many skilled men and women along the way and have fun. There's so much that I took from these years."
Vettel admitted to being excited by the future, although he has yet to decide what he will do next beyond spending time with his wife Hanna and their three children.
"Not sure what's next for me, but I'm very excited about it", he said.
"It's not that I hate Formula 1, I enjoyed the last couple of races. After the announcement it was a big weight off my shoulders because it's been a whole that this sport was in my head and I'm very much looking forward to giving the time that I got when I as that age [to my children].
"My parents made so much time for me and I want to be there as well."
One. Last. Time #F1 #AutosportAwards #Autosport #Vettel #DankeSeb pic.twitter.com/IJMN4nXrcM
— Autosport (@autosport) December 4, 2022
Sunday's glittering Autosport Awards evening at the Grosvenor House also celebrated several of Vettel's F1 colleagues.
Max Verstappen was handed the Autosport International Racing Driver of the Year Award for clinching his second consecutive world title in a season that saw the Red Bull charger accumulate 15 wins, the most in a single season for any driver in the history of the sport.
Seven-time F1 world champion Lewis Hamilton was the recipient of a British Competition Driver of the Year Award, while his Mercedes teammate George Russell picked up Autosport's Moment of the Year Award, a distinction he owed to securing his maiden F1 win in Brazil last month.
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