Sebastian Vettel Ignored Charles Leclerc’s “Headache” Inducing Presence to Praise Him Before Ferrari Exit

Sebastian Vettel Ignored Charles Leclerc’s “Headache” Inducing Presence to Praise Him Before Ferrari Exit
Credits: IMAGO / Motorsport Images

Sebastian Vettel caused ripples in the F1 world with the announcement of his exit from Red Bull in 2015. After winning four world championships with the Austrian team, the German joined the team he loved since childhood. That team was Ferrari, the side he saw his idol, Michael Schumacher, win five world championships with.

Advertisement

Unfortunately, the move did not work out as well as it did for Kaiser. Vettel drove for Ferrari for six seasons and finished runner-up in the standings twice during that stint.

During his time with the Prancing Horse, he partnered up with a young Charles Leclerc for two seasons. The duo often had on-track skirmishes, but there was no love lost off it. While preparing to bid adieu to Ferrari at the end of 2021, Vettel shared some heartwarming words for his young teammate.

Advertisement

Speaking with the media at the end of the 2020 Abu Dhabi GP (in a throwback video posted by @leclercstreet on X), Vettel said, “I think I will miss him (Leclerc). Obviously, he was giving me a headache here and there. We are in very different stages of our lives and careers. But he’s a good kid and I think he will go a long way. He will be the man of the future, so I hope that he gets the car that he deserves.”

The camaraderie between the two hit a low during the 2019 Brazilian GP. Fighting for P4 with five laps to go, Leclerc’s front right clipped Vettel’s rear left, resulting in a puncture for both. The double DNF cost Ferrari dearly, but the duo learned a lesson and moved on.

Sebastian Vettel’s special parting gift for Charles Leclerc

The 2020 season finale in Abu Dhabi was an emotional affair for the Ferrari duo. To express his reverence for his teammate, Charles Leclerc sported “Danke Seb” on his helmet for the race. Meanwhile, Sebastian Vettel had a special gift to return the favor in his own right.

Vettel gifted Leclerc one of his lids with a message (as quoted by Formula 1) that read, “To Charles, you are the most talented driver I came across in 15 years of F1. Don’t waste it. But be sure whatever you do to be happy and smile. Thanks for everything!”

Advertisement

The Monegasque later shared pictures of them swapping helmets. In the captions, Leclerc thanked Vettel for teaching him the tricks of the trade and pushing him to be a better driver.

Vettel then joined Aston Martin and raced for them for two years before retiring from Formula 1 at the end of 2022. Leclerc, meanwhile, remains at Ferrari and is still striving to win his first world championship.

Related Posts

Meghan Markle completely steals the show at Paris Fashion Week in jaw-dropping outfit

The Duchess of Sussex Meghan Markle stole the show at Paris Fashion Week as she made an unexpected visit to the French capital to show off her…

Inside Tyson Fury’s chaotic wedding to Paris as Venezuela, 16, gets engaged

Here we take a look at Tyson and Paris Fury’s wedding day back in 2008 as their daughter Venezuela becomes engaged to her boxer fiancé Noah Price…

Sir Rod Stewart’s heartbreaking message to Penny Lancaster on his 80th birthday

As he turns 80, the unstoppable Rod Stewart – who confesses that for him the ‘fountain of youth’ is in the form of his eight children –…

The Chase star Darragh Ennis broke hearts as he revealed the devastating impact of losing his father to dementia. Struggling to hold it together on set, he admitted feeling “broken” and overwhelmed, before counselling gave him the lifeline he needed. His raw honesty moved viewers deeply.

Darragh Ennis, also known as The Menace on ITV quiz show The Chase, appeared on Loose Women on Wednesday (January 22), where he opened up about losing…

Paddy McGuinness has finally spoken out after romance rumours with co-star Cherry Healey exploded online. Fans speculated over their chemistry after cosy selfies surfaced, but Paddy set the record straight – shutting down claims and insisting they’re just great colleagues on Inside the Factory.

Paddy McGuinness has replaced Gregg Wallace as a co-host on Inside the Factory, with him having worked alongside the likes of Cherry Healey on the BBC show’s…

Linda Robson stunned viewers by slamming her hands on the desk and storming off Loose Women after a fiery clash with her co-stars live on air. Fans were left shocked as the panel’s heated row spiralled into chaos, forcing producers to cut to an ad break.

Linda Robson fled her seat abruptly following a heated debate with her co-stars on Loose Women Linda Robson dramatically declared to her fellow panellists: “That’s it, I’m…