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[boo-seb]

DW Interview with Sebastian Vettel [2024-10-30] English Translation ↴

[How would you describe what you saw flying over the forest? And what was the purpose of this flight?]

It wasn't just a flight. Over the last two days, I visited the Amazon and the indigenous people in the heart of the forest. I had never been to the Amazon before, so it was very much a first for me. I've always read about the rainforest, the people who live in it and their spirits. Now, I really had the chance to meet, get to know and talk to them. The flight was very impressive. At first you see a lot of forest, a lot of trees, on the horizon.

But it's also very worrying, because there are a lot of soy farms, a lot of land that looks like it's already been moved and taken out of the forest. You can see where there's a clear cut between the forest and the farms, either for livestock or for soy. On today's flight, we could also see the gold mining that is destroying the forest. So, as much as it was an inspiration, it was also a shock. There were very positive things, meeting the people, spending time with them, but also negative things, in terms of seeing how humans are changing the landscape, and not for the better.

[Was this something you expected to see or did you think it would be something different?]

Yes. Obviously I prepared myself a bit, I took a look at what to expect. But it's still shocking when, on the one hand, you see trees on the horizon and lush greenery. And then you see how the colors change and how the landscape has been altered by humans, bulldozers and machines. As well as the contamination of the land, with elements that are polluting the waters and also people and animals. I could have imagined it, but yes, it's a surprise when you see it. It's much more impactful to see than just to read about.

[And you said that you had already researched this before. What exactly sparks your interest in the Amazon rainforest and indigenous peoples now?]

Well, I have a general interest in the environment. I grew up in a very privileged region in Germany, where you get free education and can choose to become whatever you want, where doors are open no matter which direction you're looking in. And I come from a very different background with racing.

But one thing that racing has allowed me, and I think it's a privilege, is to travel the world, meet different people, get an insight into different cultures. And that teaches you a lot of lessons, as long as you're attentive. I think that's the biggest challenge of our lives, and probably the biggest challenge that human beings have ever faced, to ensure that we have a future and a future that allows and enables the next generations to enjoy as much as we do. I think that's fair. So I'm willing to use my platform, my voice, to make a positive impact and raise awareness. And that's also the purpose of the trip.

[You've talked about racing and, in other interviews, you've touched on what Formula 1 could do and what other drivers could do more for the environment. How can these two realities fit together?]

There are many subjects that, at first glance, don't fit together. But I think that's exactly the challenge we're facing. There are so many things that don't fit together and we have to find a solution between them. Racing is my passion, and I'd love it to exist in the future too. But for that to happen, they need to change, they need to adapt. In that sense, perhaps they are a good example of how this can be done.

[And what do you think developed countries like Germany can do to help protect forests and the traditional populations that live in them?]

That's a difficult question, but I think raising awareness and helping other countries, whatever they are, to move in the right direction. Germany has a lot of homework to do. All countries have a lot of homework to do. But I think this is also a problem that we won't solve just by looking at our own problems, within our own countries. It's something we have to look at globally.

First, we need to listen to the real experts, who are the people who have lived inside the forests for thousands of years. They have established a way of life according to how the forest needs to be in order to have a future. So it's only fair to protect their land and stop deforestation, as well as return some of the land that has been taken from them illegally. And how can countries, especially rich ones, help? We need to find a way to really appreciate the value of the forest and also monetize that value in order to be able to protect it. Because protecting it is expensive, and the short-term interest of private companies has obviously led to land exploitation. Even if you never travel to Brazil, you will be harmed if the Amazon disappears.

[Do you think that people in Germany or in other countries are aware of the importance of the Amazon rainforest for the whole environment and the planet?]

No, and I don't think you can expect every individual, you know, to become aware and take action. Politics and governance need to come into play and the world's leaders need to get together and come up with public policies and solutions. I'm not saying it's easy, but I'm also saying it's possible. It's been done before and it can be done again.

On a global level, there is also reason for hope. So, as devastating as land grabbing is and looks when you fly over and see it, it's also true that, globally, there are many projects, many people who are working hard and making sure that we're moving in the right direction. We just need to do it much faster. That's where I believe raising awareness helps, because if people are asking for the right things, they will drive policies in the right direction.

[You posted photos on Instagram with indigenous leaders Raoni Metuktire and Megaron Txucarramãe. What was it like meeting them? What are the most important things you learned from them and from the other Kayapó indigenous people you met?]

The fact that our two worlds don't collide, but meet. I think I was impressed by how tolerant and open they were with me and with people from outside the forest. For our part, we need to act in the same way. We don't expect them or the communities inside the forest or the indigenous peoples to live in the same way as us. They have their own fair way of living and existing. There are so many things we need and should learn from them, instead of taking away their land, the basis of their very existence.

[How would you summarize this experience in one sentence?]

How indigenous peoples live with the land, not just on the land. I have the feeling that sometimes we live on the land and not with the land. So I think that's a great inspiration.

[seb-boo]

Sebastian Vettel Interview with GE.globo [2024-11-01] English Translation ↴

Can you imagine a four-time Formula 1 champion collecting recyclable materials on the streets of São Paulo? That's what happened this Thursday in Jurubatuba, a neighborhood in the South Zone of the São Paulo capital. Engaged in the fight for sustainability and the preservation of the environment, Sebastian Vettel took part in a challenge with garbage collectors in collaboration with the non-governmental organization Pimp my Carroça.

In the presence of Vettel fans, journalists and Ayrton Senna's family, represented by his nieces Bianca and Lalalli Senna, the participants were divided into four teams. The aim of the action was to give visibility to the work done by waste pickers, who number around 1 million workers throughout Brazil and more than 20 million worldwide. They are responsible for handling 90% of everything that is recycled in the country. For two hours, they lived the routine of the waste pickers on the streets of São Paulo. Vettel's team even had to deal with drivers who were impatient with the carts in the traffic of São Paulo. A shock of reality.

"We also tackled social problems. People pick up recyclable materials on the streets to try to earn an income. So the environment and social issues have a strong connection. I wanted to shine a light on this issue and try to raise people's awareness. You've seen what we've done. You're going to talk about it. It's a way of inspiring people. We're all inspired every day by different things. And once you know something, you start asking questions. Maybe one day it will be on the desk of someone important to change situations and improve the situation for the people who are picking up garbage and cleaning the streets every day."

One of the results of this action was the construction of a giant replica of Ayrton Senna's helmet out of recyclable materials with artists Matthias Garff and Thiago Mundano. The piece was taken to the José Carlos Pace race track in Interlagos, where it will be on display throughout the weekend of the São Paulo GP. Vettel and several drivers even took part in the presentation of the artwork on Thursday, at Senna's S.

"We had the idea of building a helmet in Ayrton's colors. The helmet is the driver's identity and his is very iconic, with the colors of Brazil. So, together with some artists, we created a sculpture out of recyclable materials in which you can enter and feel like you're inside his helmet. You can walk around it and take a little trip back in time. Look from inside it to the streets, to the track. Ayrton Senna represented excellence on the track, but also the courage to speak out, to have compassion, to care for other people who aren't privileged. And the messages he passed on were very powerful. I was able to drive his car at the event in Imola, which was very moving. We thought about doing something in his home country too, to keep his legacy alive. For positive change, positive transition."

In May, Vettel took part in an emotional tribute to Ayrton Senna at the Emilia-Romagna GP in Imola. He drove the McLaren-Ford MP4/8 that the three-time champion used in the 1993 season on Sunday morning, a few hours before the race.

"As a driver, Ayrton Senna was very successful and had a unique style. He was also very charismatic, very strong-minded. He is still very much alive in everyone who is racing. Especially for Brazil, he means even more. His early death was a great loss, but 30 years later, he's still very much alive. It's important to maintain that. He was an example to many people, a national hero and you know, someone who really had an influence. And it's great if that can be used for positive change. In the end, we want to make sure that the lives of our children and the next generation are better than ours."

This week, before arriving in São Paulo for the Formula 1 Grand Prix, Sebastian Vettel visited Cuiabá and the Amazon. In the forest, in a Greenpeace action, he met Cacique Raoni Metuktire, leader of the Caiapó people or Mebêngôkre, as they call themselves.

"I was curious to get to know the Amazon and Greenpeace was very nice to make it possible. They gave us access to talk to the leaders. I absorbed and learned a lot. It was very inspiring in terms of the environment and seeing the size of that ecosystem. And also to see how vulnerable it is. People setting fire to these lands, claiming the land for soy farms one day. And that production is sent to other parts of the world. It's an important thing to address. It's also important to give these people a voice. I wanted to learn more. It was certainly very inspiring. And I think it can only help if we talk about it more."

[lembayungsenjastudio]

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[seb-boo]

NZZ Interview with Sebastian Vettel [2024-03-01] English Translation ↴

He is a four-time Formula 1 world champion and lives in Switzerland. Vettel explains how racing and environmental responsibility go together. And will he even return to the premier class?

Mr. Vettel, have you already done something good for the environment today?

I was on my bike. In theory, I produced electricity, but it's not yet being fed into the grid. However, I also emitted more CO2 in that hour than if I had stayed in bed. But what I find exciting is what resonates with this question: always having to do something good and talk about it. That's not the central point for me. It's important that everyone has a healthy attitude to the fact that our world is in a mess and what they can do to prevent it from getting any worse. It's about attitude, not about doing a good deed every day.

Would you rather do good and not talk about it?

You actually become a little more cautious when you talk enthusiastically and with conviction about how you have changed your behavior or what else is going through your mind, then you often immediately get the finger pointed at you. For me, it's not about the obvious things like solar panels or electric cars. Much more important is the fact that you take a closer look at many things, that you become aware of something and then question your own behavior patterns or decisions.

But you are actually doing good, as we know.

I can hardly walk past something that others have dropped, be it a piece of garbage or even just plastic. I wonder what must be going on inside people who just throw things out of their car windows and why people don't think even one step ahead. It's not right to expect that someone will pick it up at some point.

Is that how you bring up your children?

That carries over, of course. When we go for a walk in the woods together and they see a sweet wrapper lying there, they exclaim: Is that really necessary? But I don't want the walk together to be tainted in a negative way, with only this one thing that wasn't nice sticking in their minds - and not the good air or the funny cloud. Patterns of behavior can inspire me when I see that the little ones are already dealing with packaging waste differently on their own.

In the past, racing drivers also moved to beautiful Thurgau because it is so close to the airport. How do you get around?

Many people have this classic image in their heads: he's a racing driver, so he always drives a car and always drives fast. But to be honest, I don't have that need. It was certainly different when I first got my driver's license. Incidentally, today I also prefer driving again compared to my active Formula 1 days, I can enjoy it more. Nowadays, I'd rather take the car than get on a plane.

Do cars even have a future in individual transportation?

Of course, we are very spoiled in Switzerland when it comes to public transport—because it works. I really like public transport, especially when I want to go to Zurich. You can also get anywhere in Thurgau, it just takes a little longer. Where I live, there's nothing but a letterbox and a bus stop.

A four-time Formula 1 world champion can do that so easily?

Of course, I have no problem with that at all. I also don't understand when other well-known people develop a paranoia that they could be recognized or harassed. I always say to them: yes, you can take the bus or train too. Of course, I'm not Roger Federer, it's probably a bit different for him. But I think people are mostly on the move because they want to get somewhere and not because they want to recognize someone.

Lewis Hamilton once told the NZZ that he also appreciated being able to move around in peace during his time in Zurich.

For me, it's the Swiss mentality, which involves more discretion. In the beginning, nobody knew me anyway because I was far too young. And the country isn't exactly a Formula 1 hotspot either. But even when I was traveling in Scandinavia last year with my VW bus and family, I didn't have any unpleasant encounters.

Public bus, VW bus - is that your new pace of life?

Yes, my pace has slowed down considerably. There are things that I miss. But it's not that I miss the adrenaline rush of speed. I lived for the moment, the competition. That's what I miss most. As intense and fast-paced as my old life was, I sometimes surprise myself that I can now cope so well with the slower pace. Everything adapts to the pace of the family. You need and learn patience with children. I'm rather surprised that some people think: once a racing driver, always a racing driver. I never fit into many of the clichés anyway, I rather enjoyed things that were considered boring.

Do you seek freedom on your camping trips?

I don't just want to catch up on freedom, I also want to pass on the freedom that I had and have myself to the children. Reading about sea creatures in a book is different from standing in the North Sea and seeing a lugworm in real life.

But the extreme tension in motorsport, this total focus, is it that easy to get away from it?

It's a process, and it's probably still ongoing for me too. Sometimes I miss the tension from the old world. But my days are still full. I still haven't found the time for a lot of things I wanted to do. The result in sport is everything, and because I come from this very extrinsic world, I can say that I still don't have that much to show for my retirement from Formula 1.

Can you explain that in more detail?

The eternal external assessment that I had as a child is completely gone, there are no more results lists. I have lots of ideas and I do a lot more things than in all the years before. I wanted exactly this kind of idle time, where I don't dive straight back into the next full-time job. I thought about quitting for several years. And at some point, you can no longer push away the thought of ending your career. I'm trying to translate this passion that I've lived out in motorsport into another language, to find something new. All the while knowing that the new thing may never trigger the same feeling as before.

There are skiers who stop skiing and then start racing.

When I go skiing, I also ski fast. But I don't shoot to be the fastest, I have more fun with the turns. There are many things I try my hand at. For example, I really like working with wood. I'd like to be more perfect at it, and of course I get annoyed when something doesn't work out right away. But how can you the first time? But your own personality is somehow involved in everything.

What is your benchmark for a happy day today?

It starts with asking yourself: What does happiness mean? What is contentment? What do I want to do with my life? That is a very good thing.

Do you like being a family man?

It was a very conscious decision to start a family back then. At 26, I was very young by today's standards. I remember when our first daughter was born, I read in a brochure at the hospital that babies can sleep up to 20 hours a day. Great, I said to my wife, that works. Well, we didn't have a brochure baby. It took three years before she slept through the night.

Have you given up a lot because of motorsport?

When you're in the machinery of sport, it goes on and on. I was amazed at how much time I spent on the road, even though I always spent as much time as possible at home and gave up a lot in return. Now that I really have more time, different relationships are developing with the children. I can tell them a bedtime story every night instead of just twice a week. When we go to museums, I can experience how children see the world. I find that really exciting, also because it involves a lot of identity. On the one hand, my own imprint, on the other, the imprint from outside. It also makes me question myself.

Your identity is that of a champion.

One of the exciting things is the question of what it did to me, how it shaped my world. I think I lived it very intensely. And I can well understand if someone wants more and more of the jubilation, the success, and even becomes addicted to it. But I always had a healthy distance to it, my identity didn't depend too much on it.

What was the trigger for you to become more interested in the environment than in motorsport?

There wasn't one moment when it clicked for me. As you get older, you perceive things differently, more strongly. When people talk about the future in Formula 1, they mean the next season or the season after next. Everything else was very abstract, the future was just a definition in the dictionary. But suddenly you have children, you want to be there for them and protect them for the rest of their lives, if possible. Life happens, a real future emerges, the word becomes tangible. And at some point I thought: stop, something is wrong here. What is actually wrong with our world? Aren't there much more important things than what has been important to me so far? I am a very curious person and am quick to ask questions of myself and others. And suddenly a huge world has opened up in front of me - with huge problems. Bigger than just the problem of making a racing car faster. I started to take a real interest in politics for the first time.

That sounds like a radical change.

Starting with the question: What is my life anyway? What is this footprint that everyone is talking about? How do you measure it? I did some research and started writing down how I move around. And while I was collecting data and information, I started to change my life. I no longer flew in a private jet, which used to be the norm for reasons of time and comfort. And lo and behold, it was no problem to stand in line with everyone else at the airport. Even twelve hours in the car to Barcelona didn't harm my race preparation, we enjoyed stopping off on the way and discovering Avignon, for example. The things I gave up were not freedoms, but habits.

But for many drivers, having their own car means freedom.

Most cars spend 98% of their time parked, so they are more like stationary vehicles than cars. But what would our cities look like if intelligent mobility meant that parking garages were no longer needed, for example? There will also be radical changes in the cityscape, like when cars replaced horses. I understand that many people are afraid when things change. But they miss out on the opportunity to see how much better it could be for them if cities became more livable, safer, and cleaner. Don't get me wrong: I'm not one of those people who groan when a car drives past me and immediately feel ill.

Back to our problems: Is e-mobility the solution?

I believe it is a solution. It makes sense, especially in terms of the efficiency of the drive. There is still a lot of movement in this area, including the issues of raw materials, disposal and energy consumption during production. But the materials for the combustion engine also come from somewhere. The electric car makes perfect sense in cities, and it will also play a central role elsewhere. The range can be planned, very few people get up in the morning and say: Today I want to go to Paris and back again spontaneously. As for the alleged lack of emotion when driving, I can tell you: yes, you can feel something. In fact, I wouldn't want to drive anything else, it's so pleasant. There are still challenges, but they can be solved. The question is what would be the alternative?

They are looking into synthetic fuels, even demonstrating them in Formula 1 racing cars.

We all, individually and as a society, need to find a solution to all the emissions we cause because of the way we move, how we live or what we eat. There are already a lot of possibilities and it would be lazy to say that it won't work. Synthetic fuels are a bridging technology; hydrogen, with or without a combustion engine, or fuel cells could be the solution for heavy transportation. We just need to step up our efforts to get away from the old. There is no single ideal solution to the problem that we have always dreamed of in Formula 1.

You yourself have also invested in a Swiss company that stores carbon dioxide in stone.

There are always many exciting approaches. I had a look at what the company Climeworks is doing in Iceland, where it works very well due to the geological conditions. If you are interested in something like that, you automatically slip into other subject areas.

Have you ever thought about visiting the ETH University?

It's represented in practically all future-oriented fields. I'm still thinking about whether and if so, what I should study. After leaving school it would have been mechanical engineering, but that would be too dry for me today. I would perhaps prefer to do something creative, with my hands.

Maybe an apprenticeship instead of studying?

I've already done a few courses in agriculture. I came to the subject via nutrition, which is hugely important for professional athletes. Of course I had heard that organic is better. But what exactly is organic, why is it better, what do they do differently? During the pandemic, I did a short internship on a farm. It was grounding in the best sense of the word. Being a farmer is a great job. And I think it's a shame that it's not appreciated enough in our society.

How do you feel about Formula 1? Do you still watch it at all?

Yes, I do. I wanted to try a withdrawal at the first Grand Prix after my last race. I didn't actually watch the practice session, but just before qualifying I had to give in and switched it on. I also watched the race. It wasn't as strange a feeling as I had previously thought, watching and no longer sitting in the car. I then watched a few races throughout the year, or at least the highlights. Because of course I'm still interested in the sport, even if I'm no longer so close to it. I watch with my wife and usually commentate unconsciously. She says it's the first time she's really understood the sport. And if I'm right about a boxing strategy, then that goes down like oil.

Is it still appropriate to watch men driving around in circles for an hour and a half?

I'm far too close to it to say that it's not. I love this sport, it's so multifaceted and full of depth. But I also understand that many things are too complex to be understood in an hour and a half. For me, the fascination is still there. But of course I'm not neutral either.

Do you have a favorite you're rooting for?

Last year belonged to Max Verstappen. Sure, a few people find that boring, but I don't think it gives his performance enough respect and recognition. I for one am full of admiration. Even for someone like the ski racer Marco Odermatt. It's not that the others are doing anything wrong, they really do try everything. But Max and Marco do it so much better. They make the sport shine. That inspires me. Also because I still know what success feels like.

So no boredom at all?

Everyone has their own view of excitement. Someone from England recently asked me: "Tell me, skiing, can you watch it on TV?" I said: "Sure, it's a great thing here, it's the national sport in Austria and Switzerland." He replied: "It's really boring, you're just racing against the clock." I said: "Yes, but you can see what position someone is in and this and that . . ." To which he replied: "Okay, but they're not racing against each other."

Are your children actually allowed to watch the Netflix series "Drive to Survive"?

They haven't asked yet. But I only watched one episode myself, back when the series came out. I thought it was a bit weird because it was so unrealistic. But of course I understand that it brought a lot of attention and a new audience to motorsport. You can't do that with hours of explanations on how to adjust a damper. With Netflix, viewers feel like they learn more, also because there is more drama. But when I feel the need to find out more about the current Formula 1, I don't reach for the remote control, I reach for the phone.

Formula 1 cannot close itself off from climate change.

I have a very strong opinion about what Formula 1 was, what it is and what it can be. Big sports are also big platforms, they can do a lot of positive things because they reach so many people. That's why I also believe that this brings with it a great responsibility. Formula 1 can no longer avoid the big issues of our time. I still remember what was drummed into us during media training in the junior series: don't take a stand on the topics of sex, money and politics, don't have an opinion, preferably don't say anything. Nobody can afford to do that nowadays, let alone an entire sport. There are issues that Formula 1 has to face up to.

What are they?

The type of vehicle drive is key, even if cars only account for a small proportion of emissions. But the engine shapes the image. I see this as a huge opportunity for Formula 1 to set a good example instead of riding around on something old. Otherwise, I see a great danger that motorsport will be threatened with extinction in the long term if it continues to involve things that are no longer accepted by society. In Germany, you can already feel this to a certain extent, the hype no longer exists. Is that just because no German is winning at the moment, or is the country a bit further along in this respect and dealing with other issues?

Would you be interested in becoming an environmental ambassador for the series?

Change has to come from within, the skiers are the best example. When I talk to people from the ski circus, they see how climate change is affecting the racing calendar. In Formula 1, the race in Imola had to be canceled because the ground could no longer absorb the rainfall and the whole region was flooded. And in Canada, all the wind had to do was change direction and the smoke from the nearby forest fires would have made a race impossible. A lot of money is involved in motorsport. It costs money to take care of certain things, but it has to be included. Last year, I cautiously started to raise awareness myself with a small project to protect insects. The loss of biodiversity is a very serious issue. I also have some ideas for the new season. That's why I'm also talking to Formula 1 boss Stefano Domenicali about what can be done.

One last question about professional orientation: With Lewis Hamilton's move to Ferrari in 2025, a lot is shifting in Formula 1. How close are you to a comeback?

I was surprised by this change. The Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff didn't call me, but we briefly exchanged text messages. But so far it's not an issue for me, also because at 36 I still have all the time in the world. So it's not going away. But my omens haven't changed. I think I've learned and understood a lot in this one year without racing, including about myself. Being on the other side has had a big impact on me and many questions have come up. So far, there are no active plans.

Is that a definite no?

No. I also said back then that there wouldn't be a clear no in that sense, because I believe that everything is a process. And maybe there will come a point when I say: yes, I would like to go back. When I get it sorted mentally so that it suddenly makes sense again. At the moment, however, I'm doing very well without Formula 1. There's no definite no, but there's no definite yes either.

Are you doing something good for yourself today?

I'm going for a medical check-up now. It's compulsory if you want to keep your racing license.