"I’m not a saint" - Sebastian Vettel makes honest admission on being a 'hypocrite' in F1 on BBC talk show

Four-time F1 world champion Sebastian Vettel has conceded that his advocacy towards climate action while competing in a “gas-guzzling” sport does make him a "hypocrite."

A leading proponent of climate issues within motorsports, Vettel appeared on the BBC talk show Question Time this week to discuss the global energy crisis, along with several other issues facing the world.

When host Fiona Bruce pointed out that Vettel himself was contributing to climate change by driving fossil fuel-powered cars around the world, the Aston Martin driver agreed and said:

“I’m not a saint. There’s a lot of questions that I ask myself. There’s a lot of things that I do because I feel I can do them better. Do I need to take a plane every time? No, not when I can take the car. There’s certain things in my control and certain things outside my control. When I get out of the car, of course I’m thinking as well, is this something we should do? Travel the world, wasting resources?”

F1 is currently in the process of reducing its carbon footprint and aims to become fully sustainable and carbon neutral by the end of this decade. The sport, however, currently generates a significant amount of carbon emissions every year, mostly through indirect emissions.

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Climate change made Sebastian Vettel question whether to remain in F1

Sebastian Vettel has revealed that he has considered whether it is right for him to remain in F1 while fiercely advocating for drastic action to contain climate change.

The German, however, also expressed a strong passion for the sport, saying that he loved every moment within the cockpit of an F1 car. He said:

“I’m very concerned when it comes to the future, so these topics when it comes to energy, energy dependence, and where we’re going in the future. It’s my passion to drive a car, and I love it. And every time I step in the car, I love it.”

Sebastian Vettel’s current contract with Aston Martin expires at the end of 2022. Going by the team’s form so far this season, he may end up retiring for good at the end of the season.