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Sebastian Vettel has shared details about his early Formula 1 career in a new documentary titled Being Sebastian Vettel, explaining how BMW initially supported him before letting him go, which paved the way for his move to Red Bull.
The Broken Promise at BMW
The four-time F1 world champion stated that his initial arrangement with BMW did not proceed as anticipated. Vettel said: “In the end, the whole BMW story didn’t really work out as originally planned. […] I actually already had one foot in the door because my contract with BMW stated that I would get a seat in Formula 1. But that never really materialised.”
Vettel made his F1 weekend debut during Friday practice at the 2006 Turkish Grand Prix in Istanbul, setting the fastest time immediately. He later made his Grand Prix debut for BMW Sauber at the 2007 United States Grand Prix in Indianapolis, stepping in for the injured Robert Kubica and scoring a world championship point on debut.
Why BMW Doubted Vettel
BMW ultimately decided against retaining Vettel, with the driver noting that rumours circulated during his time at Sauber questioning his speed and capability. Vettel explained: “During my time at Sauber, there was this ‘rumour’ going around that Sebastian wasn’t that fast and wasn’t that good. And yes, I can understand how people might have got that impression. Maybe there was even some truth to it, in a way, because I needed a bit of time before everything clicked.”
He added that the manufacturer lacked enthusiasm and failed to provide a concrete career path. What he missed was a clear roadmap detailing his seat and future seasons.
The Red Bull Opportunity
Vettel found the definitive plan he needed within the Red Bull setup, securing a full-time seat with Toro Rosso shortly after his BMW Sauber debut. Former Red Bull motorsport adviser Helmut Marko said in the documentary: “Thank God the people at Sauber weren’t convinced of Vettel’s abilities, which meant we were able to get him. And then it became clear that here was someone who not only had the speed, but was also technically capable and prepared to put in the hard work.”
According to Vettel, the transition was finalized by Red Bull co-founder Dietrich Mateschitz. Vettel recalled: “In the end, Dietrich Mateschitz put his foot down and said: ‘Let’s not spend too much time discussing this. Give the kid a chance. If it works out, great. If it doesn’t, it doesn’t.'”
Defining Monza Victory
Vettel secured a breakthrough victory at the 2008 Italian Grand Prix in Monza just over a year after joining Toro Rosso, marking the first F1 win for a Red Bull-owned team. Lewis Hamilton said in the documentary: “I think that was a really defining moment, showing that this guy’s got what it takes to become world champion.”
Marko noted that this success prompted Red Bull to promote Vettel to the main team for the following season. BMW subsequently withdrew from Formula 1.
Vettel noted that luck played a role in his career path alongside performance. He concluded that having the right people around at the right time matters, but performance remains essential because much of what is called luck is created by oneself.
