"He's certainly conquered more women's hearts": When Sebastian Vettel had a witty exchange with F1 legend Stirling Moss
Fourt-time world champion Sebastian Vettel once pulled late legend Sir Sterling Moss' leg during the FIA prize-giving ceremony in 2013. When Moss acknowledged the German driver's trophy collection, the latter responded, saying that Moss might have never won a championship, but he did conquer many women's hearts.
Vettel won 9 races in a row of the 13 total victories he had in the 2013 F1 season with Red Bull. After a dominant victory at the Indian Grand Prix, the German driver sealed his fourth world championship (third in a row),155 points ahead of his rival Fernando Alonso.
To celebrate his extraordinary season, Sebastian Vettel was awarded the Autosport Driver of the Year trophy at the FIA prize-giving ceremony in 2013. To do the honors, former racing legend Sir Sterling Moss arrived at the stage.
Moss, who never won a championship in his remarkable career, passed a hilarious comment, claiming that Vettel surpassed him in terms of achievements in a short period of time. However, in a video shared by Autosport, the then Red Bull driver showcased humility and said that Moss conquered more hearts of women than he did.
"Maybe I just speak in a German language, maybe I have conquered four championships, but he definitely conquered and broke more women’s hearts," Vettel said (03:00).
Sir Sterling Moss tragically passed away in 2020 at the age of 90 due to a cardio-respiratory failure. In his racing career that spanned from 1951 to 1961, he won 16 races and had successful stints with Mercedes, Maserati, and BRP. He also tried his hand at Le Mans with different teams.
Meanwhile, 2013 was the last time Sebastian Vettel clinched a world championship. He left Red Bull in 2014 and joined Ferrari. However, post-2019, the Italian team saw a steep decline in terms of performance and competitiveness, leading to Vettel's exit in 2020. For the farewell stint, the German driver joined Aston Martin and closed the curtains on his successful F1 career in 2022.
Lewis Hamilton pays tribute to Sebastian Vettel ahead of Ferrari switch
Seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton is following in the footsteps of his former rival Sebastian Vettel to join Ferrari from the 2025 season onwards. Before the historic transfer, Mercedes arranged a farewell tour for the Brit where he used the stage to praise Vettel.
Hamilton referred to Vettel as the best world champion, not just for his racing but for the empathy and care he has towards people in society. He recalled how the German driver used his platform to bring change and advocate social issues. As quoted by gpfans, Lewis said:
"He's [Vettel] the best world champion that I know because he's far more than a driver. He's someone with real passion, he's empathetic and he cares for people.eHe actually is the only other one that's tried to utilise his platform for something good," said Hamilton.
Lewis Hamilton and Sebastian Vettel initially started their journey as arch-rivals. However, over time, they buried the hatchet and became friends, and to date, both share mutual respect and love for each other.