Sebastian Vettel drove Michael Schumacher's Ferrari F2002 at Monza before the 2026 Italian Grand Prix, but the emotional weight of such a thing became much larger than the driving itself. Following his performance of donuts near the second Variante, Vettel admitted that the moment had made him feel a great deal of longing for his old friend.
Ferrari built the weekend around Schumacher's legacy. It had been 30 years since he joined Ferrari in 1996 with a special Monza livery, racewear details inspired by the seven-time champion, and seven stars representing his ****** les. The showcase featured several of Schumacher's iconic cars, including the 1996 F310, the 2002 F2002, and the 2006 248 F1.
The F2002 was not merely an old Ferrari brought out for a ceremonial lap. Ferrari's 2002 campaign produced 15 victories, 10 pole positions, and 27 podium finishes, while Schumacher secured that year's championship with 144 points. He won five ****** les with Ferrari and took five Italian Grand Prix victories for the team, in 1996, 1998, 2000, 2003, and 2006.
Rubens Barrichello, Schumacher's teammate in 2002, drove the F2002 on Saturday. Vettel took over the tribute on Sunday, reconnecting with the Ferrari team and the tifosi he raced for from 2015 through 2020. During his time with Ferrari, Vettel secured 14 race victories and achieved second place in the championship standings in both 2017 and 2018.
Vettel won his first Formula 1 race at the circuit for Toro Rosso in 2008. The four-time world champion, who concluded his career with a total of 53 wins, also shared the track with Schumacher during his return to Mercedes from 2010 to 2012. Schumacher had been an early hero, then later a friend who encouraged Vettel's career.
#schumacher #time #monza #grand
Ferrari built the weekend around Schumacher's legacy. It had been 30 years since he joined Ferrari in 1996 with a special Monza livery, racewear details inspired by the seven-time champion, and seven stars representing his ****** les. The showcase featured several of Schumacher's iconic cars, including the 1996 F310, the 2002 F2002, and the 2006 248 F1.
The F2002 was not merely an old Ferrari brought out for a ceremonial lap. Ferrari's 2002 campaign produced 15 victories, 10 pole positions, and 27 podium finishes, while Schumacher secured that year's championship with 144 points. He won five ****** les with Ferrari and took five Italian Grand Prix victories for the team, in 1996, 1998, 2000, 2003, and 2006.
Rubens Barrichello, Schumacher's teammate in 2002, drove the F2002 on Saturday. Vettel took over the tribute on Sunday, reconnecting with the Ferrari team and the tifosi he raced for from 2015 through 2020. During his time with Ferrari, Vettel secured 14 race victories and achieved second place in the championship standings in both 2017 and 2018.
Vettel won his first Formula 1 race at the circuit for Toro Rosso in 2008. The four-time world champion, who concluded his career with a total of 53 wins, also shared the track with Schumacher during his return to Mercedes from 2010 to 2012. Schumacher had been an early hero, then later a friend who encouraged Vettel's career.
#schumacher #time #monza #grand
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