Sebastian Vettel might have been 'best of the rest' in Abu Dhabi without Aston Martin's 'annoying' strategy, feels former F1 driver

Former German F1 driver Timo Glock feels that Sebastian Vettel might have been the 'best of the rest' at the 2022 Abu Dhabi GP if not for Aston Martin's 'annoying' strategic call. The legendary four-time world champion retired from the sport on Sunday (November 20), finishing P10 in his final race.

Sebastian Vettel fought Esteban Ocon throughout the race at the Yas Marina circuit, giving it one last push for P8. However, Alpine put the Frenchman on a two-stop strategy to give him the edge over the German driver, who was left out on a one-stopper by Aston Martin.

Aston Martin's strange strategic call left the former Red Bull world champion a sitting duck against those on faster and fresher tires, leading to a frustrating radio call by the German legend. Timo Glock claims that Sebastian Vettel might have achieved a lot more in his final race if not for Aston Martin's dismal strategic call. Glock told Sky Germany:

“It was a bit unfortunate that he was left out for so long. At the beginning he had good pace, he kept trying to attack Esteban Ocon but he couldn’t get past him. The Alpine was too quick on the straights and that cost him a bit of the tyres. So to leave him out late while everyone else pits and gains that much track time on the fresh set of tyres was in the end annoying. He might even have been best of the rest.”

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Red Bull boss recalls his time with Sebastian Vettel

Red Bull boss Christian Horner reminisced on Sebastian Vettel's time with the Austrian team, where the German won all four of his world championship titles. The former Red Bull driver retired from the sport at the end of the 2022 F1 Abu Dhabi GP, finishing his stint in the sport off in style by scoring one championship point.

Speaking to the media, including Sportskeeda, during the team representative's press conference, Horner reminisced about Sebastian Vettel's time at Red Bull. Christian Horner said:

"He came to us as a young kid with a brace and a funny haircut. And he just grew in that time as a Red Bull Junior. He’s just got such an endearing personality. He’d turn up with chocolates for the receptionist and the secretaries and he just endeared himself to everybody, had the ability to mimic and impersonate so many different accents from cockney slang to Nigel Mansell, his Jean Todt was legendary. So, just a brilliant, brilliant character. And an even more brilliant driver."

Horner added about Sebastian Vettel's titles:

"I mean, what we achieved together, the four consecutive World Championships, the way that he went into the final race here, in 2010, and in Brazil, 2012, phenomenal, phenomenal memories. Obviously, the last couple of years have been more challenging for him, but it shouldn't diminish from anything that he's done and achieved as one of the greatest drivers ever in Formula 1."

The impact Sebastian Vettel has had on the F1 world cannot be understated as the German has been a voice of reason within the sport for over a decade now. The four-time world champion will not only be known for his staggering raw speed, but also for his voice for good in the world.