From CIK-FIA
Like a meteorite, Sebastian Vettel streaked his way through the various single-seater series before pulverising every record of precocity in Formula 1.
If the young German has been able to write such a “success story,” he knows that he owes it all to karting. As with each of his predecessors over the past 10 years (Schumacher, Alonso, Räikkönen, Hamilton and Button), the German excelled in karting before switching to single-seaters. Nevertheless, Vettel is, to a certain extent, the exception that proves the rule.
 |
| Sebastian Vettel and his father, Norbert. (Photo: www.oecklfilmtv.de) |
Whereas most of the other drivers reached the apex of the karting pyramid before turning their attention to cars, Sebastian moved into single-seaters when he was very young, after he had won a selection organised by BMW.
60cc kart
With a father Norbert who was passionate about motor sport and who was, himself, competing in a Golf GTi, it could be said that Sebastian fell into the thick of it when he was still very young. In fact, he was just three years old when his father gave him his first kart, a 60cc model, which the youngster immediately set about driving with a panache astounding for a lad of his age. He had to wait until his eighth year before making his competitive debut but his talent was already beyond doubt...
Having already spotted the talent of Michael Schumacher fifteen years earlier, Gerd Noack was immediately charmed by this little fair-haired boy. “Sebastian was very fast by nature,” he explained in an interview he gave at the beginning of 2011 to the Telegraph.
“But he was also a very friendly kid who always said thank you. He was one of those people on the team who got there first and was the last to leave the circuit. He always wanted to know every detail, particularly on the technical aspects, and he was capable of providing the best information regarding what needed improving. These are some of the elements that distinguish a potential future world champion from the other drivers.”
Red Bull
Talented and hardworking, Sebastian progressed to the international level and always arouses great passion wherever he goes. It was not by chance that Red Bull enrolled him in its young driver training programme when he was just 12 years old.
In 2000, when he was competing in the Junior category, he did have the occasional good performance but was not always rewarded with the result he might have wished. Not that it matters; he didn't have long to wait. The following year, the young lad from Heppenheim quite simply eclipsed all those in his class.
During this 2001 season, he was crowned European Junior Champion (at the time, the championship was held over two meetings, i.e. four races in which Sebastian never failed to reach the podium) and he added the German Championship and a victory in the Junior Monaco Kart Cup to his list of achievements. He also took advantage of the Junior race held in the “Palais Omnisports” at Paris-Bercy to distinguish himself by winning the Friday Final in front of a healthy number of spectators who, ten years on, have probably still not forgotten the name of this young driver...
Finally, in 2002, he threw himself into the ICA category, grabbing 6th place in the European Championship in his first season. But his victory in a selection gave him the chance to get behind the wheel in Formula BMW the following year. From that moment, his destiny was mapped out; from now on, Sebastian was heading for the pinnacle of motor sport.
The latest auto news, reviews, prices, product and vehicle releases. 
