Vettel drives Schumacher's Ferrari F2002 at Monza and leaves fans in tears

Sebastian Vettel piloted Michael Schumacher’s Ferrari F2002 in a demonstration run at Monza on Sunday, ahead of the Italian Grand Prix, as the sport marked 30 years since Schumacher’s Ferrari debut. The four-time world champion, who raced for the Maranello outfit between 2015 and 2020, described the occasion as a tribute to his childhood hero.

The F2002, one of the most dominant machines in Formula 1 history, claimed 15 victories across the 2002 and 2003 seasons. Running on sustainable fuel, the car’s screaming V10 engine drew immediate comparisons to the current generation of power units — and found them wanting in the court of fan opinion.

“You just can’t beat that sound. Music to our ears,” one fan wrote on Reddit, while another added: “That noise is so emotive. Modern cars aren’t in the same league.”

For many, the occasion carried a deeper weight given Schumacher’s ongoing absence from public life following his skiing accident in 2013. “Beautiful car, beautiful sound, driven by the most fitting person to drive it other than the great man himself,” one fan posted. “Really saddens me that Michael will never get to have these moments in retirement and the appreciation for his achievements. There’s a void with him missing during these times.”

The sentiment was echoed widely. “That sound makes me so happy and so sad,” read another comment. “Happy for the memories and the absolute awesomeness of it. Sad that we will never have a grid of those cars racing ever again.”

One fan who was present at the circuit wrote: “I’m at the circuit right now, watching that car go by while singing and then Seb’s words afterwards. Tears to my eyes, really.”

Vettel, who has been retired from Formula 1 since the end of the 2022 season, was widely regarded by fans as the most fitting driver to honour Schumacher’s legacy in the car. “There is nobody more fitting to drive it than Seb,” one comment read — a sentiment that appeared to capture the mood of the Tifosi at Monza.