Vettel moved to tears driving Schumacher's Ferrari F2002 at Monza: 'I felt him a lot today'

Sebastian Vettel was brought to the verge of tears at Monza on Sunday after driving Michael Schumacher’s iconic Ferrari F2002 in a pre-race demonstration, describing the experience as deeply personal. The four-time world champion completed a handful of laps in the scarlet car as Ferrari marked the 30th anniversary of Schumacher’s debut with the team at the 1996 Italian Grand Prix.

“I’m caught and mixed up in feelings,” Vettel said immediately after stepping out of the car. “On the one hand it’s such a beautiful car to drive. It’s such a beautiful piece of machinery. 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.”

The F2002 represents one of the most dominant machines in Formula 1 history, built during the Jean Todt and Ross Brawn era at Maranello. Schumacher won 11 races in it that season, with team-mate Rubens Barrichello adding five more as Ferrari won all but two grands prix. Schumacher never finished off the podium in 2002, clinching his third consecutive title with Ferrari — and his fifth overall — by the end of July, after just 11 rounds.

For Vettel, the emotional weight of the occasion went far beyond the car’s racing pedigree. Schumacher, his friend and mentor, has not been seen in public since suffering a severe brain injury in a ski accident in December 2013.

“It doesn’t take many laps to sense the soul of a car, and you sense immediately that it was a special car,” Vettel said, visibly shaking. “It’s just screaming at you like ‘Go, go, go.’ I was all the time torn between wanting to push this car and wanting to enjoy the moment and make it last.”

Vettel, who drove for Ferrari between 2015 and 2020 in his own bid to emulate Schumacher’s five titles with the team, reflected on both the past and his life since retiring from the sport. “There’s bits that I miss but it’s a different life,” he said. “It’s a very emotional day. My heart is beating and I’m very, very proud and I miss Michael.”