Sebastian Vettel has said his idea of success has moved over time from chasing the next trophy or cheque to being “at peace” and treating people well. Speaking at the Sharjah Entrepreneurship Festival, the four-time Formula 1 champion explained how the sport’s relentless cycle can make even titles feel fleeting.
The 38-year-old stepped away from the championship at the end of 2022 after starting 299 grands prix, leaving a record that includes 53 wins and 57 pole positions across spells at BMW Sauber, Toro Rosso, Red Bull, Ferrari and Aston Martin.
Speaking on how he measures success, Vettel admitted he no longer wears those numbers as a medal. Instead, he focuses on what he believes is the deeper meaning of life.
Vettel’s point was that Formula 1’s fast pace can make even the biggest moments feel temporary, because the prep work for the next race begins before the debrief of the last one has even ended.
In the early part of his career, Vettel described his mindset as once always chasing the next win. That approach served him well through his tenure at Red Bull where he achieved four world championship wins.
By the time he reached his later seasons, first with Ferrari and later in Aston Martin, his idea of success began to evolve.
“My dream was always one [title]. Then, naturally you go again and there’s the next race. It’s a bit of a shame because you don’t enjoy the moment so much because the next race is coming and you’re so focused on the next one, doing it again,” Vettel said.
“Later in my career, I realised I had the privilege of so many races, and working with very gifted people mostly. The trophies and the championships is one thing, and it’s what people see and rate as success, but later on you redefine what success means. I’ve not left any burning bridges, I’ve made a lot of friends, I’ve had great experiences with people, and it’s those sort of stories that really make who you are rather than what you did and what you achieved in a certain moment."
He added: "When I was young it was all about trophies because I wanted to get the biggest trophy and I wanted to be the best. Later on in my career you put things a bit more in perspective, and now a successful person to me is somebody who is at peace with himself or herself, is content, treating people with respect, and in a happy place doing something that fulfils him or her - where you feel: 'OK, that’s what he or she is striving for and that’s the purpose he or she is going after.' It doesn’t get awarded often - not as much as, ‘here’s your trophy, you won the first prize’, or ‘here’s a cheque and you've made so and so much money’. Those are the things that society seems to see more as success."
Vettel also pushed back on the idea that success is defined by money, arguing that trophies and wealth don’t carry the meaning people assume.
“I don’t think [success equals money]. I can speak from a professional point of view, having won a couple of trophies, that they stay with you in terms of they stay around your house, wherever you decide to put them, but at some point you walk past them and, I don't want to say you don't realise anymore, but life is about so many more things.
"Looking back, the journey has been what I really keep rather than the trophy. If you have the privilege at the end to have the trophy in your hand as well, it’s a great feeling, especially in sport, to live through that with the entire team and as an athlete. But yeah, there’s so much more to it,” Vettel ended.
