Sebastian Vettel climbed into a Ferrari at Monza carrying far more history than most F1 cars ever will. As the legendary F2002 roared back to life, the four-time world champion was transported back to an era that reshaped the sport. But what Vettel said afterward revealed just how extraordinary the experience really was. 

Just before the lights went out for the race on September 6th, Vettel drove Michael Schumacher's Ferrari F2002. The run was part of a wider Ferrari tribute marking 30 years since Schumacher's first Monza victory in Ferrari colors during his debut season with the Scuderia in 1996. 

After stepping out of the car, the four-time world champion seemed visibly emotional, underscoring just how much the moment meant to him. While speaking to Sky Sports, Vettel spoke about how he felt driving the car. 

"I'm caught and mixed up in feelings. On the one hand, it's such a beautiful car to drive. It's such a beautiful piece of machinery." Vettel told Sky Sports in the interview via Instagram. "But much more, it's Michael's car. He's not here today, but I felt him a lot in these laps, and I hope you heard him and felt him as well."

During the interview, Vettel then leaned on an old inside joke that he and Michael Schumacher shared. 

"And you know we used to joke when one of us started to cry or be emotional that you have some pee pee in your eyes. I think now I'm the one with pee pee in my eyes, so yeah, it's incredible."

The tribute extended beyond the car itself. Vettel wore a special race suit for the run, one bearing a personal message to his friend: "For my friend Michael, there's still a race to win." 

The F2002 remains one of the most dominant cars in Formula 1 history. Schumacher won 11 of the 17 races that season behind its wheel, cruising to his fifth world title, while teammate Rubens Barrichello added four more victories, giving Ferrari all but two wins on the calendar that year. 

It was a fitting tribute to a car, and a man, whose legacy still echoes around Monza three decades later. 

Will Sebastian Vettel return to Formula One? 

Driving Michael Schumacher's F2002 also seemed to awaken something in Vettel beyond the memories. Reflecting on the experience, the four-time champion admitted it left him thinking about a life he thought he had already closed the door on. 

Vettel stepped back from the sport in 2022, closing out his racing career with two seasons at Aston Martin. It capped a Formula 1 journey that included four world titles with Red Bull between 2010 and 2013, followed by a five-year stint at Ferrari from 2015 to 2020 that never delivered the championship he was chasing there. 

However, while talking to the media after driving Schumacher's car, Vettel admitted that he might return to the sport in a different role. 

"I realized today while I was in the car that I miss it. Maybe I'll return to Formula 1 in a different role. You're always a racer. But it depends on what happens next," Vettel said, as reported by dpa International. 

Whatever comes next, those few demo laps at Monza made one thing clear: Vettel isn't quite done with the sport yet. 

Written by

Chionia Libania Colaco