#turkey06

ON THIS DAY - AUGUST 25TH: Michael Schumacher makes his F1 racing debut at the 1991 Belgian Grand Prix. Exactly fifteen years later, Sebastian Vettel makes his first F1 appearance at the 2006 Turkish Grand Prix.

bmw sauber test driver sebastian vettel rides a moped around the circuit, turkey - august 24, 2006 📷 fishing 4 / imago

“GP2 Turkey 2006 This was GP2 (Formula 2) which for those of you that don’t know, is the last step on the road to F1. I felt so much pressure that year. I was 21 years old and managed to win every championship in previous classes but now in a bigger league. Normally, I won the championship’s in the second year in other classes, a year for learning and a year for the win. However, the stars were aligning, a seat was a available at McLaren, of whom I was signed to and I thought if I could just win this thing in the first year I could get that seat. So I pushed like never before. In this race, I spun on lap two from Position 6. Fell back and that is a major blow, nobody comes back generally from that. But I had the race of my life and came 2nd. I believe this was probably THE race that sealed my future, I won the championship that year and got promoted to the McLaren F1 team the year after. The rest is history but this race is that showing of never giving up even if it feels impossible. Even if it is impossible, you still have to give it your all no matter what.” - november 13, 2020 📷 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kSKkRMNJIdE 🗣@.lewishamilton / instagram

sebastian vettel’s injured finger approximately a month after a horrific crash at spa, turkey - august 24, 2006 (story) (source // photographer: mark capilitan)