Watch: Old Sebastian Vettel interview shows origins of 4-time F1 champion's fun-loving nature

F1 Testing - Vettel tests for BMW Sauber in Bahrain.
F1 Testing - Vettel tests for BMW Sauber in Bahrain.

An old interview with Sebastian Vettel has surfaced on Twitter, showing the down-to-earth nature of the four-time F1 champion. In it, the driver talks about an ideal summer's day with friends, and his love for bowling, billiards, and darts.

Watch the clip below:

As can be seen in the clip, a young Sebastian Vettel spoke about his nature off-track. The driver emphasized that he enjoys the same things as any regular 19-year-old despite being the then-youngest person ever to participate in a Grand Prix weekend. He said:

"I just hang around with my friends. It is actually the same as every 19-year-old kid my age would do. In the summer, we go to the sea and to the lake - lay down and relax. And in winters we probably go somewhere to do some bowling or billiards or darts. We just have a drink and enjoy".

The German used to test-drive for the BMW Sauber team between 2006-07 before officially making his debut for the team at the 2007 United States Grand Prix. However, on his testing debut, the driver set another record - picking up his first penalty just nine seconds into his career for speeding in pit lane.

Sebastian Vettel went on to have a strong partnership with Red Bull, winning the drivers' title four years in a row from 2010-2013. His run of championship-winning form has been lauded by many, including Ferrari legend Michael Schumacher, who served as a mentor to his young compatriot.

Fast-forward to the present and Sebastian Vettel is coming off a lackluster first year with Aston Martin, but he managed to win the award for the highest number of overtakes, with 132.


Sebastian Vettel acts as a mentor of Mick Schumacher

Like his father before him, Mick Schumacher is learning the ropes in F1, and Sebastian Vettel, who received guidance from Michael, is now serving as a mentor to Mick.

The former Ferrari driver has praised Schumacher Jr.'s work ethic on many occasions, and claimed that the 21-year-old merely lacks the right car to fight at the front. He said:

“Well, I think it’s difficult to judge because the car has been so far off. but for those who were looking and looking closely – obviously, I’ve been following and yes, I think he did an incredible job with such a poor car to reach qualifying segment two a couple of times, to have strong showings in the race, fight some of the other cars that are much faster, stick with the cars ahead that are supposed to be much faster. That’s a great effort.”

The two Germans will be representing their country once again at the annual Race of Champions 2022 from February 5-6. Sebastian Vettel and Michael Schumacher had teamed up to win the Nation's Cup six years in a row, from 2007-12.

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