In the new ARD documentary Being Sebastian Vettel, the four‑time champion opens up about his early F1 days and BMW’s brief backing before the split.
The champion admitted, “Ultimately the BMW plan fell apart. My contract promised an F1 seat, yet that never materialised.”
His first taste of F1 came in Friday practice at the 2006 Turkish Grand Prix in Istanbul, where he instantly topped the timing sheets.
A year later, Vettel debuted for BMW Sauber at the United States Grand Prix in Indianapolis, filling in for the injured Robert Kubica and grabbing his inaugural championship point on debut.
Why BMW doubted Vettel’s talent
That was as far as it went. In the documentary Vettel explained, “Around Sauber there was a rumor I wasn’t quick enough. I get why people thought that; maybe there was a grain of truth because I needed time for everything to click.”
Then the narrative flipped – BMW’s interest didn’t vanish, but the drive behind it waned.
He lacked a clear roadmap: “Here’s a seat now. Next year this, the year after that that.”
Sebastian Vettel in the BMW Sauber F1.07 livery.
How Toro Rosso gave Vettel his F1 break
Weeks after his Sauber debut, Vettel landed a full‑time seat with Toro Rosso, the Red Bull junior squad.
Helmut Marko, former Red Bull adviser, told the documentary, “Thank goodness Sauber didn’t see my potential, so we could snap him up. He had speed, technical skill, and a willingness to work hard.”
Vettel says Red Bull’s boss Dietrich Mateschitz made the final call: “Let’s give the kid a chance. If it works, great; if not, we move on.”
Vettel’s 2008 Monza win as a turning point
Just over a year later, Vettel stunned the paddock with a win at the 2008 Italian Grand Prix in Monza – the first victory for a Red Bull‑owned team.
Lewis Hamilton noted in the documentary that the victory highlighted Vettel’s championship potential.
Marko said the success led Red Bull to promote him for the next season.
Franz Tost, Dietrich Mateschitz and Sebastian Vettel celebrate Toro Rosso’s STR03 Ferrari win.
Vettel then delivered Toro Rosso’s maiden F1 win and went on to claim his first world title in 2010, by which time BMW had already exited the sport.
He conceded that “a certain amount of luck” also shaped his career path.
“Having the right people at the right moment matters, but you still have to perform. Much of what we call luck is actually self‑created.”
We want your opinion!
What would you like to see on our site?
Take our 5 minute survey.
– The Team