Sebastian Vettel is preparing for an emotional return to the cockpit at Monza, where he will drive Michael Schumacher’s iconic Ferrari F2002 for a series of demonstration laps. For the four-time Formula 1 world champion, the occasion goes far beyond experiencing one of Ferrari’s most celebrated cars: it is also a deeply personal tribute to the man he admired as a child and later came to know as a close friend.
The F2002 represents one of the defining machines of Schumacher’s Ferrari era, while Monza adds another layer of significance to the occasion. Vettel expects the emotions connected to Michael Schumacher to come before the racing driver’s instinct when he climbs into the car, even though he is also eager to discover how such a famous Formula 1 machine feels from behind the wheel.
Sebastian Vettel: Michael Schumacher was my childhood hero
Speaking to the media ahead of the demonstration, Vettel made no attempt to hide how much the event means to him. The F2002 is not simply a historic Formula 1 car in his eyes, but something that directly reconnects him with Schumacher.
“First of all, I think about how emotional it will be, remembering a friend of mine. Michael was my hero when I was a child. Later we developed a deep connection, a friendship, we became quite close and shared many great memories,” Sebastian Vettel explained.
The German would have preferred to see Schumacher himself behind the wheel of the Ferrari, and that feeling makes the opportunity entrusted to Vettel even more meaningful.
“I think all of us would like to see him driving today, myself included.”
Asked what he would say if Schumacher were there, Vettel’s answer was immediate.
“Go on, you drive it, it’s your car!”
Ferrari’s 2026 Italian Grand Prix weekend has already placed strong emphasis on Michael Schumacher’s enduring connection with Ferrari and Monza, while the broader story of his achievements with the Scuderia remains central to the team’s history.
Vettel reflects on missing Schumacher as a friend
Vettel also spoke openly about how much he misses Schumacher personally, particularly at moments when he feels his experience and advice could have been valuable. At the same time, he stressed that his own sense of absence cannot be compared with the consequences of Schumacher’s accident for Michael himself and his family.
“I miss him enormously in moments when I think he could be a great help. The loss that his accident represented and the pain, for him and for his family, are much greater than what I or other people can feel because of his absence.”
The significance of the F2002, however, extends beyond the personal connection. Vettel pointed to the combination of Schumacher, a championship-winning Ferrari and Monza as a collection of elements that all resonate strongly with him.
“It is his car, but it is also the world championship-winning car, it is a Ferrari and we are at Monza. There are so many things that create a connection with me.”
Fans looking back at the extraordinary standards Schumacher set at Maranello can also explore more about Michael Schumacher’s Ferrari career and legacy.
Emotions will come before the driver in Ferrari F2002
Vettel knows it will be difficult to approach the demonstration laps purely as a racing driver. The emotional weight of the occasion is likely to dominate before his natural curiosity about the car itself takes over.
“I really like that car, but I think the emotions will come first and then the excitement of the driver. It means much more than I can explain.”
There will still be plenty of fascination in discovering how the F2002 behaves. Vettel is realistic about the fact that the experience cannot reproduce what driving the car was like in competitive conditions in 2002, and he will only have limited running time.
“I can’t wait to feel how the car behaves. It won’t be like it was in 2002 and I won’t have much time either, but I will enjoy it.”
The demonstration follows Rubens Barrichello taking the same car onto the track on Saturday. The special Monza appearances involving the F2002 had already been highlighted as part of Ferrari’s wider celebration of Schumacher, including plans for Sebastian Vettel and Rubens Barrichello to drive the Ferrari F2002 at Monza.
Sebastian Vettel says racing will always remain part of him
Returning to the cockpit carries particular meaning for Vettel because his competitive Formula 1 career is over, even though his relationship with motorsport has never disappeared.
“I love this sport. I don’t race anymore, but I still love it. And I will probably love racing for the rest of my life.”
That affection also shapes the way Vettel views the contrast between Schumacher’s F2002 and contemporary Formula 1 machinery.
Vettel compares the Ferrari F2002 with modern Formula 1
Schumacher’s car represented the absolute technological benchmark of its era. Barrichello, Schumacher’s team-mate at the time, drove it at Monza on Saturday, while today’s Formula 1 cars operate at a very different technological frontier.
Vettel nevertheless believes the basic purpose remains the same.
“The 2002 car was state of the art at the time, it was pioneering and represents a lot of what Formula 1 is. Today’s cars do the same thing.”
For the four-time world champion, some fundamental qualities remain unchanged regardless of the technical regulations or era.
“It is about performance, precision, discipline, hard work, but also responsibility and taking all of that into the future.”
Vettel admitted that he does not agree with every direction taken by the current regulations, particularly from the driver’s perspective. However, he does not believe entertainment, technological progress and responsibility necessarily have to compete with one another.
“I probably don’t agree with everything we have today in the regulations from a driving point of view. But looking ahead, I believe there is a great opportunity to involve people and remind them what the sport was, what it is and what it should and can be in the future.”
For Vettel, the challenge is therefore to find a balance between the characteristics people love about Formula 1 and the responsibility to evolve.
“You have to find a way to combine the things we love. One thing does not necessarily have to exclude the other.”
Vettel expects Monza to feel Michael Schumacher’s legacy
The Monza crowd could make the occasion even more powerful. Vettel believes the sound and sight of the F2002 will revive memories of Schumacher and the extraordinary impact he had on Ferrari supporters: “I think today you will feel his legacy. It is simple: there are people who care deeply about him because of what he achieved.”
According to Vettel, that legacy was not created purely through results. Schumacher also had a strong personality and a way of expressing himself that was not always universally popular: “He had his own way of expressing himself and it wasn’t always popular. Sometimes it was exactly the opposite, and some of the journalists who are here experienced that.”
Vettel nevertheless believes Schumacher’s presence will be unmistakable when the F2002 returns to the circuit: “I think today you will feel his legacy, and that is something powerful. It is fantastic to be able to be part of it.”
Schumacher’s impact on Ferrari extended far beyond individual victories, something also explored through accounts of how Michael Schumacher transformed Ferrari through his driving and technical influence.
Driving Schumacher’s Ferrari is a huge privilege for Vettel
Vettel did not hesitate when he was offered the opportunity to drive the F2002.
“I am very happy and I feel honoured. It is an enormous privilege. When they asked me, I didn’t have any doubts for even a second.”
For a few laps, the demonstration will allow him to reconnect directly with the environment that defined much of his life.
“I know I don’t race anymore, but I will always be a driver. Coming back today and having this special opportunity to experience it and remind myself of it once again will be something special.”
The demonstration also fits naturally into Ferrari’s wider Schumacher celebrations at Monza, including the special 2026 Italian GP livery inspired by Schumacher’s first Ferrari season.
Vettel backs sustainable fuels for Formula 1’s future
While the F2002 represents Formula 1’s past, Vettel also used the occasion to discuss where the sport should go next. In his view, racing’s future must include more sustainable solutions.
“I think sustainable fuels are a step forward. Looking at Formula 1 and racing, there is enormous potential, not only for Formula 1 but also to inspire other categories.”
Vettel believes technological development should retain a meaningful connection with the outside world and, where possible, have applications beyond motorsport.
“Some things can be incredible from a technological point of view but not transferable to road cars.”
He therefore does not rule out simplifying technology if that becomes necessary to maintain relevance.
“If that possibility no longer exists, maybe you have to reach the point where you are willing to simplify. You can be responsible and set an example in different ways, not only on the track but also away from the track.”
Sebastian Vettel praises Kimi Antonelli’s 2026 season
Now watching Formula 1 from outside the cockpit, Vettel has also been following the sport’s new generation closely. Andrea Kimi Antonelli is among the young drivers who have caught his attention, with the Mercedes driver enjoying a season that could eventually put Vettel’s record as Formula 1’s youngest world champion under threat.
The German would have no problem seeing that record broken: “I would be very happy for him. He has had an incredible year. There is the old saying that records are made to be broken.”
He also believes Antonelli has plenty of time ahead of him to write further chapters in Formula 1 history: “He still has many years ahead of him to do it.”
Sebastian Vettel now enjoys watching the championship from a different perspective, while retaining the passion that accompanied him throughout his racing career: “I love the sport, so as a spectator it is very exciting. I hope the others can come back and be closer. But I am independent and happy because I know how much work goes into achieving these results. Whoever wins will deserve it.”
Michael Schumacher’s F2002 returns to Monza
At Monza, however, Vettel’s priority will not be the stopwatch. For a handful of laps, performance will matter less than memory.
The Ferrari F2002 will return to the circuit with Vettel behind the wheel, carrying with it a direct connection to one of the most important periods in Ferrari history. Through the sound of its V10 engine and the memories surrounding Schumacher, Monza will once again celebrate a chapter that remains deeply embedded in Formula 1 and Ferrari’s identity.
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