Carlos Sainz has expressed his desire for Sebastian Vettel to stay in Formula 1 after the German announced he would retire at the end of the season.
The four-time world champion will retire from the sport after spending 15 years at the wheel of BMW Sauber, Toro Rosso, Red Bull, Ferrari and Aston Martin.
Tributes have been pouring in for one of the paddock’s most beloved figures and current Ferrari driver Carlos Sainz has added to the well wishes.
The Spaniard was a simulator driver during Vettel’s Red Bull days and said the German was always happy to give him advice on how to improve.
“For me since before I got to Formula 1, [he was] a great role model,” Sainz said at the Hungarian Grand Prix press conference.
“I had the privilege of being a simulator driver when he was at his peak at Red Bull winning the championship and I could see how professional he was and it gave me a very good idea of how to behave to be a successful driver of Formula 1. as it was.
“I remember those years very well. He always had kind words for me, [he would] stop by and talk to me and give me some advice. It’s a great model, as these guys have already said, and it is [an] ambassador for the sport, not just for the sport, but for the younger generation that’s coming up.”
THANKS SEB!! 🙌🏼🙌🏼
Let’s end this season on a high with a proper race!!
–#Carlossainz pic.twitter.com/Sl5GCjzrab
— Carlos Sainz (@Carlossainz55) July 28, 2022
Sainz elaborated on this point on Sky Sports F1 later, describing Vettel as a role model who made him feel important.
“He was definitely one of my role models, if not my role model [main] role model because he was there winning all the titles with Red Bull while I was doing the whole simulator, listening to his debriefs.
“Most of all what struck me the most was the way that at any given moment he would still have a moment to talk to me and ask me about my races, my career, about the simulator, about my comments or whatever and give me an importance that I think I didn’t have at that time. It made me feel good and proud of the work I was doing in the simulator.”
The 27-year-old also said he hoped it would not be the end of Vettel’s involvement in the sport and that he would return in some way.
“[It is the] kind of career you would love. He always gets on well with all the teams and everyone in the paddock loves him. You won’t hear anyone say anything bad about Seb and I think that just speaks to his personality, his life as a human being not just as a driver.
“I think he will be missed but hopefully we can see him back in the paddock also helping the sport grow in certain areas that are [been] A lot of talk recently and I hope he can continue to give us a hand on that side.”