Horner thinks Vettel retirement is a shame, but says timing is right

Vettel had his heyday in the sport as a Red Bull driver. In 2007, Vettel made his Sauber debut and by 2008 he had already scored a win for Toro Rosso. It was a bit of a try out season for the real thing at Red Bull in 2009, but in the following four years he won four double world titles with the Horner-led team. In 2014, Red Bull's hegemony waned, leaving Vettel out of the limelight as well. A switch to Ferrari in 2015 ultimately did not bring the desired result and the Heppenheimer's fifth world title failed to materialise. His last two years Vettel raced for Aston Martin. 

Horner thinks Vettel retirement is right timing

That the German is retiring now, Horner thinks is a shame. The Briton only cherishes good memories of the collaboration. In conversation with Motorsport.com the team boss raises a large part of these memories. Horner says he has seen Vettel grow from a boy to a man; a man of principle who is very protective of his privacy. Horner is glad that the German has recently started using social media after all, so that he does not have to miss his former colleague too much. He is sure that Vettel has many other things to do. Horner: "It's a shame not to have him in F1 anymore, but I think it's the right timing."