Sebastian Vettel says he has no regrets about retiring from Formula 1 after seeing Aston Martin’s rapid start to the 2023 season.
Fernando Alonso, who took Vettel‘s seat at the Silverstone-based team, secured his third podium in three races at the Australian Grand Prix with Lance Stroll a season-best fourth.
The German knew that Aston Martin would be better in 2023 having seen the development from within last year but still thinks he made the right call in retiring when he did.
“The first thing, of course, is joy, which is superior to everything else,” Vettel said after denying any regrets over retirement. “I know the team of these last years very well and I am happy that they are doing so well.
“That car was going to be better than last season I think which was obvious, because last year was quite bad, so it was expected. Of course, you never know what the others are doing, but it was going to be better.”
Alonso’s second wind
Vettel did enjoy some standout performances in the AMR22 last season but it never had the potential for podiums as the AMR23 has shown.
Alonso has greatly benefited from this upturn in performance and while Vettel was a heated rival of the Spaniard for several years in the early 2010s, he is pleased to see him back on the rostrum.
“I’m happy for him,” Vettel admitted. “I think there were actually many years in which he did not have a good car, and yes, now he is living that second spring or a second honeymoon.”
Aston Martin are set to bring new upgrades to the next race, the Azerbaijan GP on April 28-30, as well as future events at Imola and the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve.
