On his way to Formula 1 Sebastian Vettel has consistently proved himself in every category he's competed in. Grand Prix racing looks like being no different.
Sebastian Vettel’s easygoing manner and schoolboy looks disguise the fact that underneath he is a very serious racing driver. Having just embarked upon his first full season of Formula 1 his rise to the sport’s premier category has been swift and impressive.
Born in Heppenheim, Germany in 1987 Sebastian began his career in karting. After multiple championship wins he graduated to the Formula BMW championship in 2003, where he earned the Rookie of the Year award. Staying in the series for a second season he utterly dominated it, winning 18 of the 20 races.
A step up to European Formula 3 came in 2005 where he acquitted himself well, finishing fifth overall while Lewis Hamilton ran away with the title. Williams gave the young German his first test in a Formula 1 car, followed by a test for BMW Sauber. Another season in European Formula 3 with the ASM team yielded second place in the championship.
During 2006 Sebastian also contested three races in the World Series by Renault, taking a pole and a win. Meanwhile, BMW Sauber had noticed the young German’s talent and made him their Friday driver at the Turkish Grand Prix meeting. Astonishingly, he topped the timesheets that day. BMW Sauber signed him up to be their test and reserve driver for the 2007 Formula 1 season.
2007 started with Sebastian competing in the World Series by Renault again but his big chance finally arrived at the US Grand Prix. Regular driver Robert Kubica was still recovering from the effects of an enormous accident in Canada, meaning that Vettel was handed a race seat for the weekend. He did not disappoint, qualifying seventh and finishing eighth. In the process he became the youngest driver to score a World Championship point in Formula 1 history.
Later in the season the Toro Rosso team had an acrimonious split with their driver Scott Speed, and Vettel was called in to replace the American in Red Bull’s junior squad. Demonstrating his ability in the wet he ran third in the rain-hit Japanese Grand Prix before driving into the back of Red Bull’s Mark Webber while following the safety car. Webber had looked like a possible race winner and Vettel was inconsolable after his mistake. It didn’t affect his speed however, as he came home in a fine fourth position in the wet Chinese Grand Prix. His 2007 season was capped off by winning the Nation’s Cup at the Race of Champions as team-mate to Michael Schumacher.
For 2008 Vettel is again racing with Toro Rosso in Formula 1, alongside Champcar ace Sébastien Bourdais. The opening race in Australia saw Vettel forced into retirement after being collected by Kazuki Nakajima but Bourdais demonstrated the potential of the car by finishing seventh. It looks like being another successful season for the young German.
