5 facts about Sebastian Vettel as he joins Ferrari
Ferrari relaunched their Formula One world title ambitions by confirming Sebastian Vettel on a three-year deal on Thursday (Nov 20).
The move comes after Fernando Alonso's departure from Ferrari was confirmed.
German Vettel is regarded as the heir to stricken compatriot Michael Schumacher, who won five of his seven world titles with Ferrari.
Here are five facts about Vettel as he leaves Red Bull:
Four driver's titles
The 27-year-old is one of the most successful Formula One drivers of all time, winning the drivers title in 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2013 for Red Bull.
In 2010 he was the youngest title winner at 23 years and 134 days.
He is dubbed "Baby Schumi"
Like Schumacher, Vettel had his first taste of racing at the Kerpen karting track near Cologne. German media call him "Baby Schumi" though Vettel likes to play down the comparison.
Most points in a season
Among his many records, Vettel also has the most Formula One points in a season: 397; most wins in a season: 13; most pole positions: 15; and youngest Grand Prix winner: 21 years, 73 days.
The Beatles fan
Vettel is a big fan of The Beatles, especially their song “Drive My Car”. He did a voice-over for the German version of the animated film Cars 2. The star driver says he is competitive and often impatient, and that has caused much of the bad publicity that sometimes surrounds him.
Crooked finger
Vettel nearly had his finger sliced off in flying debris in one accident as a teenager. But it was his crooked finger salute after winning races that became one of the symbols of his success which started to annoy fellow drivers.
Source: AFP
Get The New Paper on your phone with the free TNP app. Download from the Apple App Store or Google Play Store now