Sebastian Vettel is getting ready for an emotional return to the cockpit at Monza, the place he’ll drive Michael Schumacher’s iconic Ferrari F2002 for a collection of demonstration laps. For the four-time Formulation 1 world champion, the event goes far past experiencing one in every of Ferrari’s most celebrated automobiles: it’s also a deeply private tribute to the person he admired as a baby and later got here to know as a detailed buddy.
The F2002 represents one of many defining machines of Schumacher’s Ferrari period, whereas Monza provides one other layer of significance to the event. Vettel expects the feelings related to Michael Schumacher to come back earlier than the racing driver’s intuition when he climbs into the automobile, despite the fact that he’s additionally keen to find how such a well-known Formulation 1 machine feels from behind the wheel.
Sebastian Vettel: Michael Schumacher was my childhood hero
Talking to the media forward of the demonstration, Vettel made no try to cover how a lot the occasion means to him. The F2002 shouldn’t be merely a historic Formulation 1 automobile in his eyes, however one thing that instantly reconnects him with Schumacher.
“To start with, I take into consideration how emotional it is going to be, remembering a buddy of mine. Michael was my hero once I was a baby. Later we developed a deep connection, a friendship, we grew to become fairly shut and shared many nice recollections,” Sebastian Vettel defined.
The German would have most well-liked to see Schumacher himself behind the wheel of the Ferrari, and that feeling makes the chance entrusted to Vettel much more significant.
“I believe all of us wish to see him driving in the present day, myself included.”
Requested what he would say if Schumacher have been there, Vettel’s reply was instant.
“Go on, you drive it, it’s your automobile!”
Ferrari’s 2026 Italian Grand Prix weekend has already positioned robust emphasis on Michael Schumacher’s enduring reference to Ferrari and Monza, whereas the broader story of his achievements with the Scuderia stays central to the crew’s historical past.
Vettel displays on lacking Schumacher as a buddy
Vettel additionally spoke overtly about how a lot he misses Schumacher personally, notably at moments when he feels his expertise and recommendation might have been worthwhile. On the identical time, he harassed that his personal sense of absence can’t be in contrast with the implications of Schumacher’s accident for Michael himself and his household.
“I miss him enormously in moments once I suppose he might be an amazing assist. The loss that his accident represented and the ache, for him and for his household, are a lot higher than what I or different folks can really feel due to his absence.”
The importance of the F2002, nevertheless, extends past the non-public connection. Vettel pointed to the mix of Schumacher, a championship-winning Ferrari and Monza as a group of parts that every one resonate strongly with him.
“It’s his automobile, however it’s also the world championship-winning automobile, it’s a Ferrari and we’re at Monza. There are such a lot of issues that create a reference to me.”
Followers wanting again on the extraordinary requirements Schumacher set at Maranello can even discover extra about Michael Schumacher’s Ferrari profession and legacy.
Feelings will come earlier than the motive force in Ferrari F2002
Vettel is aware of it is going to be tough to method the demonstration laps purely as a racing driver. The emotional weight of the event is more likely to dominate earlier than his pure curiosity in regards to the automobile itself takes over.
“I actually like that automobile, however I believe the feelings will come first after which the joy of the motive force. It means way more than I can clarify.”
There’ll nonetheless be loads of fascination in discovering how the F2002 behaves. Vettel is practical about the truth that the expertise can’t reproduce what driving the automobile was like in aggressive situations in 2002, and he’ll solely have restricted operating time.
“I can’t wait to really feel how the automobile behaves. It gained’t be prefer it was in 2002 and I gained’t have a lot time both, however I’ll get pleasure from it.”
The demonstration follows Rubens Barrichello taking the identical automobile onto the monitor on Saturday. The particular Monza appearances involving the F2002 had already been highlighted as a part of Ferrari’s wider celebration of Schumacher, together with plans for Sebastian Vettel and Rubens Barrichello to drive the Ferrari F2002 at Monza.
Sebastian Vettel says racing will all the time stay a part of him
Returning to the cockpit carries specific that means for Vettel as a result of his aggressive Formulation 1 profession is over, despite the fact that his relationship with motorsport has by no means disappeared.
“I like this sport. I don’t race anymore, however I nonetheless adore it. And I’ll most likely love racing for the remainder of my life.”
That affection additionally shapes the way in which Vettel views the distinction between Schumacher’s F2002 and up to date Formulation 1 equipment.
Vettel compares the Ferrari F2002 with fashionable Formulation 1
Schumacher’s automobile represented absolutely the technological benchmark of its period. Barrichello, Schumacher’s team-mate on the time, drove it at Monza on Saturday, whereas in the present day’s Formulation 1 automobiles function at a really completely different technological frontier.
Vettel nonetheless believes the fundamental function stays the identical.
“The 2002 automobile was cutting-edge on the time, it was pioneering and represents plenty of what Formulation 1 is. As we speak’s automobiles do the identical factor.”
For the four-time world champion, some elementary qualities stay unchanged whatever the technical rules or period.
“It’s about efficiency, precision, self-discipline, laborious work, but additionally duty and taking all of that into the long run.”
Vettel admitted that he doesn’t agree with each course taken by the present rules, notably from the motive force’s perspective. Nevertheless, he doesn’t consider leisure, technological progress and duty essentially should compete with each other.
“I most likely don’t agree with every little thing we have now in the present day within the rules from a driving standpoint. However wanting forward, I consider there’s a nice alternative to contain folks and remind them what the game was, what it’s and what it ought to and will be sooner or later.”
For Vettel, the problem is due to this fact to discover a stability between the traits folks love about Formulation 1 and the duty to evolve.
“It’s important to discover a method to mix the issues we love. One factor doesn’t essentially should exclude the opposite.”
Vettel expects Monza to really feel Michael Schumacher’s legacy
The Monza crowd might make the event much more highly effective. Vettel believes the sound and sight of the F2002 will revive recollections of Schumacher and the extraordinary affect he had on Ferrari supporters: “I believe in the present day you’ll really feel his legacy. It’s easy: there are individuals who care deeply about him due to what he achieved.”
In response to Vettel, that legacy was not created purely via outcomes. Schumacher additionally had a robust persona and a manner of expressing himself that was not all the time universally common: “He had his personal manner of expressing himself and it wasn’t all the time common. Typically it was precisely the other, and a number of the journalists who’re right here skilled that.”
Vettel nonetheless believes Schumacher’s presence can be unmistakable when the F2002 returns to the circuit: “I believe in the present day you’ll really feel his legacy, and that’s one thing highly effective. It’s improbable to have the ability to be a part of it.”
Schumacher’s affect on Ferrari prolonged far past particular person victories, one thing additionally explored via accounts of how Michael Schumacher remodeled Ferrari via his driving and technical affect.
Driving Schumacher’s Ferrari is a large privilege for Vettel
Vettel didn’t hesitate when he was supplied the chance to drive the F2002.
“I’m very glad and I really feel honoured. It is a gigantic privilege. Once they requested me, I didn’t have any doubts for even a second.”
For a couple of laps, the demonstration will permit him to reconnect instantly with the surroundings that outlined a lot of his life.
“I do know I don’t race anymore, however I’ll all the time be a driver. Coming again in the present day and having this particular alternative to expertise it and remind myself of it as soon as once more can be one thing particular.”
The demonstration additionally matches naturally into Ferrari’s wider Schumacher celebrations at Monza, together with the particular 2026 Italian GP livery impressed by Schumacher’s first Ferrari season.
Vettel backs sustainable fuels for Formulation 1’s future
Whereas the F2002 represents Formulation 1’s previous, Vettel additionally used the event to debate the place the game ought to go subsequent. In his view, racing’s future should embody extra sustainable options.
“I believe sustainable fuels are a step ahead. Formulation 1 and racing, there may be monumental potential, not just for Formulation 1 but additionally to encourage different classes.”
Vettel believes technological improvement ought to retain a significant reference to the surface world and, the place doable, have purposes past motorsport.
“Some issues will be unimaginable from a technological standpoint however not transferable to street automobiles.”
He due to this fact doesn’t rule out simplifying know-how if that turns into needed to keep up relevance.
“If that chance not exists, possibly you must attain the purpose the place you’re prepared to simplify. You will be accountable and set an instance in several methods, not solely on the monitor but additionally away from the monitor.”
Sebastian Vettel praises Kimi Antonelli’s 2026 season
Now watching Formulation 1 from exterior the cockpit, Vettel has additionally been following the game’s new era intently. Andrea Kimi Antonelli is among the many younger drivers who’ve caught his consideration, with the Mercedes driver having fun with a season that would finally put Vettel’s report as Formulation 1’s youngest world champion underneath risk.
The German would don’t have any downside seeing that report damaged: “I’d be very glad for him. He has had an unimaginable yr. There may be the previous saying that data are made to be damaged.”
He additionally believes Antonelli has loads of time forward of him to write down additional chapters in Formulation 1 historical past: “He nonetheless has a few years forward of him to do it.”
Sebastian Vettel now enjoys watching the championship from a unique perspective, whereas retaining the eagerness that accompanied him all through his racing profession: “I like the game, in order a spectator it is extremely thrilling. I hope the others can come again and be nearer. However I’m impartial and glad as a result of I understand how a lot work goes into attaining these outcomes. Whoever wins will deserve it.”
Michael Schumacher’s F2002 returns to Monza
At Monza, nevertheless, Vettel’s precedence won’t be the stopwatch. For a handful of laps, efficiency will matter lower than reminiscence.
The Ferrari F2002 will return to the circuit with Vettel behind the wheel, carrying with it a direct connection to one of the necessary durations in Ferrari historical past. By the sound of its V10 engine and the recollections surrounding Schumacher, Monza will as soon as once more have a good time a chapter that continues to be deeply embedded in Formulation 1 and Ferrari’s id.
Sep 6, 2026
