Sebastian Vettel has defended modern Formula 1 after taking the wheel of Michael Schumacher’s legendary Ferrari F2002 at Monza, arguing that today’s racing remains exciting despite the debate surrounding the championship’s highly hybridised 2026 machinery. While the four-time world champion does not agree with every aspect of the current regulations, he believes Formula 1 still has the potential to drive innovation and help shape the future of mobility.
The experience brought together Formula 1’s past, present and future for Sebastian Vettel. Driving one of the defining cars of Michael Schumacher’s Ferrari era allowed the former Ferrari driver to revisit a period many fans remember with nostalgia, while also reflecting on the qualities of the current generation of cars and the direction the sport should take next.
Sebastian Vettel drives Michael Schumacher’s Ferrari F2002 at Monza
Sebastian Vettel climbed aboard Michael Schumacher’s iconic F2002 to remember his friend and mentor and to take part in celebrations marking the 30th anniversary of Michael Schumacher’s arrival at Ferrari and his first Monza victory with the Scuderia. The German had already been confirmed alongside Rubens Barrichello for the Ferrari F2002 demonstration at Monza.
It was an emotional occasion for Sebastian Vettel, whose admiration for Michael Schumacher stretched from childhood into a personal friendship later in life. The connection between the two German champions has remained an important part of Sebastian Vettel’s Formula 1 story, with former Ferrari engineer Jock Clear also previously discussing Michael Schumacher’s respect for Sebastian Vettel.
Driving a Formula 1 car from an era now viewed nostalgically by many supporters also gave Sebastian Vettel an opportunity to compare the F2002 with the machinery from his own racing career and with the current generation. Despite criticism from several former drivers about the direction of modern Formula 1, Sebastian Vettel does not share an entirely negative assessment.
Sebastian Vettel says today’s Formula 1 racing is exciting
Speaking in the Monza paddock to several publications, Sebastian Vettel explained why he continues to see value in contemporary Formula 1.
“I think the racing today is exciting,” Sebastian Vettel said. “But I understand the question and I think that’s exactly why it is so exciting. There is a lot to explore when you talk about Formula 1, even though, obviously, a driver just wants to drive the best car and win races.”
For Sebastian Vettel, however, defining the “best car” requires looking beyond outright performance alone. The four-time world champion believes both Michael Schumacher’s F2002 and today’s Formula 1 machinery reflect the technological ambitions of their respective eras.
“But what is the best car? The F2002 was at the cutting edge for its time, a pioneer, and significantly represents what F1 embodies. But today’s cars do the same. And I think it is about performance, precision, discipline, hard work, but also responsibility and knowing how to carry all of that forward. So it is also about caring for the future, which is what these cars are trying to do.”
Vettel does not agree with every aspect of the 2026 F1 regulations
That does not mean Sebastian Vettel is completely satisfied with Formula 1’s current technical direction. The former Ferrari driver acknowledged that some elements of the regulations, particularly those affecting the driving experience, do not necessarily match what he would choose.
“I probably don’t agree with everything that is currently set out in the regulations, especially from a driving point of view,” Sebastian Vettel admitted. “But, looking to the future, I think that is exactly where there is a huge opportunity to engage people, perhaps also by remembering what this sport was, what it is and what it should and could be in the future.”
“But it has to be done responsibly and one thing must not exclude the other. We have to find a way, because there is no medicine that works for everyone and there is nothing that, once applied, solves all the problems in one go.”
His position therefore combines some reservations over the way current Formula 1 cars are driven with a broader belief that technological progress remains one of the sport’s defining qualities.
Sebastian Vettel backs sustainable fuels as part of F1’s future
A major part of Sebastian Vettel’s vision concerns sustainable fuels, an area he has supported for some time. The German has frequently appeared at demonstration events under his “Race Without Trace” banner, using historic cars once raced by Ayrton Senna and Nigel Mansell that he now owns and operates on e-fuels.
The same principle was relevant to his Monza appearance. A modern fuel was developed for the Ferrari F2002, allowing the historic V10-powered car to run without requiring technical modifications to its original engine.
For Sebastian Vettel, projects of this kind demonstrate that it is possible to bring less sophisticated engines with a smaller hybrid component back onto the track while still pursuing environmental responsibility.
“Sustainable fuels represent a step forward if you look at Formula 1 and motor racing,” Sebastian Vettel explained. “There is enormous potential, not only for F1 but also to inspire other categories and then also to shape the next generation of road cars.”
Vettel believes Formula 1 can inspire technology beyond the race track
Sebastian Vettel nevertheless recognises that not every technological solution developed in Formula 1 will necessarily translate effectively to ordinary road cars. For him, that does not remove the sport’s wider responsibility or its potential to influence automotive development.
“There is great potential to do it responsibly, because some solutions, however incredible they may be from a technological point of view, might not be transferable to the roads,” Sebastian Vettel said.
“But I believe there is also a responsibility to do it, because Formula 1 has so many great values that have shaped and inspired me in my life and that touch the hearts of many people around the world. And it has the power to do that in many other significant and high-impact areas as well,” Sebastian Vettel concluded.
For the former Ferrari driver, therefore, nostalgia for cars such as Michael Schumacher’s F2002 does not have to translate into rejecting modern Formula 1. Sebastian Vettel sees the sport’s past as a reminder of its pioneering character, while sustainable fuels and responsible technological development could help preserve that same role in the future.
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