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Sebastian Vettel claims he is open to more off-road racing if given the opportunity. The German tried his hand at snow and ice driving in the Race of Champions (RoC), finishing second to nine-time rallying world champion Sebastien Loeb.
Vettel starred alongside Mick Schumacher in the 2022 edition of RoC, an annual race held between drivers of various forms of motorsport. The duo lost out to sim-racing pros Jarno Opmeer and Lucas Blakeley, who barely have any on-track experience. The four-time world champion, however, made it to the finals of the 'Champion of Champions' segment but lost out to nine-time world rally champion Sebastien Loeb.
When asked if he'd be open to racing off-roads in the future, Sebastian Vettel said:
“Obviously, you saw that I’m still missing a little bit. But I think I enjoy it a lot. I always enjoyed watching what they are doing. It is a different discipline so you’re still having fun with a car but it’s just there are a lot of differences. The sport progresses and there’s more to it than just driving which is also a challenge. So, for sure it’s not easy to just jump into it and be very good at it. You need the time and experience but if somebody is willing to give me a shot and a chance and has a lot of time, I’m happy to look at it.”
Speaking of the difference between on- and off-road racing, the Aston Martin F1 driver said:
“I think it’s something that is, as a driver, very satisfying, to play with the car and to have more margin. Normally, when the car steps out, you correct it immediately and you’ve lost a bit of time. Here, I think there’s much more grey. You are sideways, maybe the timing’s a little bit off, but you can correct it.”
Sebastian Vettel teamed up with 2021 F1 rookie Mick Schumacher
Sebastian Vettel has previously teamed up with F1 legend Michael Schumacher for Team Germany in the RoC. The duo won the Nation's Cup six consecutive times from 2007 to 2012, utterly dominating the field. The four-time world champion has recently paired up with Michael's son Mick in an attempt to carry on the Vettel-Schumacher domination spree.
The senior Schumacher mentored Vettel throughout his early years in F1, sharing his vast racing experience with the young German. In a wholesome twist of tales, Vettel is carrying on the tradition by acting as a mentor to Michael's son Mick, who made his F1 debut in 2021. The four-time world champion has been all praise for the young driver, claiming his true potential is yet to be seen.
Speaking about the young driver's performance in 2021 season, Sebastian Vettel said:
“He did an incredible job with such a poor car to reach Q2 a couple of times, to have strong showings in the race, fight some of the cars that are much faster, or stick with the cars that are supposed to be much faster.”
With Mick Schumacher showing confidence in Haas' 2022 car, fans can look forward to more thrilling performances from the young German driver who won the 2020 F2 title.
