‘A really beautiful human being’: Lewis Hamilton pays tribute to Sebastian Vettel

Four-time world champion Vettel announced on Thursday that he will retire from Formula 1 at the end of this season

Lewis Hamilton described Sebastian Vettel as a “really beautiful human being” after the German announced his impending retirement from Formula 1, adding he has been “one of the very few in racing history who has stood for much more than himself.”

Four-time world champion Vettel announced today that he will retire from F1 at the end of the season after what will be his 300th Grand Prix in Abu Dhabi in November.

The Aston Martin driver, who won his world titles at Red Bull from 2010-2013, is no longer in a car competitive of challenging at the top of the leaderboard and having not finished on the podium since June last year, the 35-year-old has called time on his career to “spend more time with his family.”

Hamilton, who had his run-ins with Vettel as they battled for Championships, was full of praise for the German, who like Hamilton has used his platform to promote matters close to their heart off-track.

“One of the best. There’s no lack of bravery in Sebastian,” Hamilton said. “He has been one of the very very few in racing history who has stood for much more than himself. He has used his voice for things that I’ve stood for, for things he’s believed in and for the greater good.

“A really beautiful human being. Watching his world championships was impressive, sad to have arrived today and seen the news, but I know what he goes on to do will be even better.”

Vettel is a climate and environmental activist, LGBTQ+ rights campaigner and also supported Hamilton in taking the knee in support of the Black Lives Matter movement in 2020.

A former teammate of Vettel’s at Red Bull, Daniel Ricciardo, also wished the German well ahead of this weekend’s Hungarian Grand Prix.

“In a way it’s sad because you’re losing a legend of the sport,” Ricciardo said. “Personally I spent some time alongside him which was a privilege. Sad but also happy that he’ll start chapter two of his life. I learned a lot in 2014 alongside him and before that as a reserve driver. He has a lot of good traits, is very direct and it was cool. Very driven individual.

“A very in tune driver, very knoweledgable about the car, the team, the sport. Lived and breathed it. Switched on, he knew everything that was going on.”