WHEN PSYCHOLOGICAL PRESSURE TAKES OVER

Sebastian Vettel announces his retirement, and it’s far from a happy ending. This is significant because it’s not just a retirement like any other—there’s a bitter taste, a lingering sense of disappointment, and a feeling of having almost lost the "meaning" and love for what once defined him. Public statements aside, of course.

A meaning lost, painted over the years by a cruel fate.

Let’s not mince words: Seb was the most high-profile victim of the Ferrari system—the weight of wearing red that leaves its mark in both glory and heartbreak.

He was a famous victim, magnified by the era in which it happened, of the same psychological struggle faced by Fernando Alonso (who overcame it with his strong character), Alain Prost (who recovered by taking a sabbatical and winning another world championship elsewhere), and, why not, Ivan Capelli (who never overcame it, though the stakes and context were entirely different).

Sebastian Vettel had nearly everything working against him as he struggled with the immense psychological pressure of being Ferrari's lead driver. The timing was harsh, compounded by the relentless social media scrutiny completely incompatible with his personality and the painful transition—despite what some may claim—from the Marchionne era to what followed.

These factors pushed him into a negative spiral in that fateful 2018 season, a loop he never truly escaped.

His future intentions and newfound vocations mentioned in his farewell video shouldn’t be overly judged. They are, however, clearly the result of a career that, in many ways, "wasn't supposed to turn out this way."

It’s a harsh reality, reflected in a tired face, with few comparable precedents—one that should prompt serious reflection.

© Simone Marchetti