The Italian Grand Prix was a special one to Sebastian Vettel. It was in Monza that fourteen years ago, the four-time World Champion took his maiden pole and victory in a midfield Toro Rosso, underlining his potential as one of the best drivers in Formula 1.

Heading back, one final time, to the track where he took his first #F1 win. 💚

Catch up with #SV5 ahead of the #ItalianGP in our latest race preview.

— Aston Martin Aramco Cognizant F1 Team (@AstonMartinF1) September 7, 2022

“I love the track, there are a lot of memories here. I didn’t wake up this morning thinking that this will be my last race in Monza. I am looking forward to the weekend, there is a great atmosphere, a lot of support from the fans so it is great.

“For me there are some mixed feelings because I celebrated my first pole and victory here and it is Monza’s 100^th anniversary,” explained Vettel ahead of Sunday’s race.

“I have always loved the unique feel of the circuit and the challenge it provides, as well as the energy from the fans. I will feel every moment of that intensity this time”.

Unfortunately, Aston Martin couldn’t live up to the expectations and Vettel’s last Italian Grand Prix finished in the worst way possible: a DNF on lap 12 due to suspected power unit issues.

UPDATE: Unfortunately Sebastian Vettel is forced to retire with a suspected powertrain issue. We are currently investigating the cause.#F1 #ItalianGP

— Aston Martin Aramco Cognizant F1 Team (@AstonMartinF1) September 11, 2022

If there is a unanimous thought, however, is how appreciated Vettel is. Not only among the fans, but among colleagues and professionals of the sport. He has always been celebrated for his talent on track, but what has emerged lately is his bright mind and proactivity in several aspects – ranging from sport to the environment and politics.

During the pre-race media session with selected media, including MotorLAT, Aston Martin’s Head of Vehicle Performance Tom McCullough shared his thoughts about Vettel and his last race in Europe.

“Sebastian has been great fun to work with for the last 18 months or so – very thoughtful, very strong on the engineering side and he has brought a lot to the team in how we operate and how we look at things.

“He has a very inquisitive mind, great fun to be with, but also understands lifting the team from a morale side of things really well. Yeah, so it's been an utter pleasure with him and I'm looking forward to the next final few races with them.

What’s more, McCullough highlighted how Vettel’s approach has not changed since he announced his impending retirement in Hungary.

“He is the ultimate professional really, so I'd say no to that. Maybe he's a little bit more relaxed in himself, but I wouldn't see that in the engineering office and the way he drives the car. Sebastian is a bit of a machine really from a work side of things”.