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I have changed the photo in the infobox to a recent photo where his face is clearly visible. I think it is not smart to serve our readers with a photo from 2015 when there is a more recent photo available. Kind regards Saschaporsche (talk) 09:13, 22 January 2021 (UTC)[reply]
How recent the photo is, isn't relevant if his appearance hasn't changed in the intervening years. His face is also clearly visible in the other photo. SSSB (talk) 09:38, 22 January 2021 (UTC)[reply]
Sorry, his face hasn't changed significantly. The 2015 image is still higher quality and the change to his appearance is negligable. SSSB (talk) 16:03, 22 January 2021 (UTC)[reply]
I have clearly stated my points. He has aged, there is a distinct difference in his appearance. So a recent photo is more applicable. Kind regards, Saschaporsche (talk) 16:29, 22 January 2021 (UTC)[reply]
Saschaporsche I'm interested to know what you think is his "distinct difference" in his face. Yes, there is a small difference between his appearances in both photos (a clearer beard), but it's not significant. Also, the quality of the 2015 photo is (much) better. So for me, I rather keep the current image. WA8MTWAYC (talk) 17:45, 22 January 2021 (UTC)[reply]
WA8MTWAYC If i/we look at a person we look at that person's face and his eyes (in particular), the rest of the body is less interesting (unless you are watching a beautycontest..).
If you zoom in on the "old image" you see a tired Vettel with his eyes not visible. So from that standpoint the old picture (although higher in pixel quality) is definitely of less quality. The difference in age is -although not distinct- but definitely visible to me. Kind regards, Saschaporsche (talk) 20:28, 22 January 2021 (UTC)[reply]
Saschaporsche Yes, the eyes and face are very important visual cues when looking at someone. However, I don't really agree the rest is less interesting. Vettel just won his first GP with Ferrari so he's overjoyed. You can see his happiness as he raises his fist. I like that a lot more than an awkward (and enormously cropped, which makes it of less quality than the older one) photo with a fan. His eyes are visible, but indeed a bit less than in the newer image. Also, the difference between his appearances is not significant. I'm interested what other users/editors think. WA8MTWAYC (talk) 23:32, 22 January 2021 (UTC)[reply]
Whilst the changes between Vettel in the photos may not be hugely significant, I would argue that the team change leaves great scope for a potential change in the near future. It would be fantastic if any users with a good knowledge of fair-use images could upload a recent image of Vettel since joining Aston Martin. The Beanster (talk) 00:28, 6 December 2021 (UTC)[reply]
Vettel doesn’t look this young and fresh anymore and he’s driving for a different team. He’s more mature, now an elder statesmen. This photo is dated and doesn’t acknowledge what he’s been through in the past 7 years. Gaff (talk) 06:05, 11 April 2022 (UTC)[reply]
@DownardSpiral1000, Vettel has not confirmed retirement from motor racing and still competes in the RoC every year.[1] It has only been two years since his last competitive appearance, which is still within a normal sabbatical range, and was just last year discussing returning to the big leagues.[2] Per WP:CRYSTALBALL: Wikipedia is not a collection of unverifiable speculation, rumors, or presumptions.MB243721:28, 8 July 2025 (UTC)[reply]
1a. We don't need to wait for a confirmation if it's reasonably clear that his career is finish.
1b. Race of Champions is irrelevant because it's not listed in the racing career summary, and is an exhibition like the 1984 Nürburgring Race of Champions that isn't a points-paying race in any auto racing championship. David Coulthard competes in it regularly but is obviously retired.
2. It's exceptional that drivers come back from sabbaticals in the first place and he explicitly said he retired from F1 and hasn't raced competitively since or has been serious about returning. He's basically said "well maybe I'll return if I have a top car and I feel like it" (which is what most drivers would say) and the source is from over a year ago. The only substantial thing is a test in the Porsche 963 and that was over a year ago too. Do you think we need to wait 5-10 years before we say a driver is retired? Or if someone retires at 28 and decides to come back in their 40s then they were never retired? DownwardSpiral1000 (talk) 13:36, 9 July 2025 (UTC)[reply]
2. We would need to wait that long if there is still no confirmation whether he will return or not. "Former" is misleading if he is still openly looking for opportunities and completing tests. A sportscar career is still very much on the cards. I'd say it would be justified if the rumoured Red Bull role comes through and it's full-time. MB243719:00, 9 July 2025 (UTC)[reply]
But he's not though, he's done one test and hasn't been in a competitive race in years. It's silly to try to hold retirements to a standard of verification because drivers may not announce their retirement or they may change their mind after they've announced it. What's the point in qualifying whether a driver is retired at all then? DownwardSpiral1000 (talk) 20:16, 9 July 2025 (UTC)[reply]
Verifiability is a non-negotiable component of WP:BLPs. Most retired drivers qualify once they move into a new full-time profession, as the vast majority of them do—most sources will describe them as a former driver at that point. MB243720:27, 9 July 2025 (UTC)[reply]
There's no real sources that state he's retired, until he says that he has 0 intention of returning to motorsport or does take that spot at Red Bull, we can't assume that he's never going to race in a competitive series again. In an interview just a few days ago, he said he "isn't ruling out the possibility" of participating in the 24HRS of Le Mans.[3][4] IMO it doesn't make sense to call him retired when he himself doesn't'. QWisps (talk) 10:40, 20 July 2025 (UTC)[reply]
Whether he has retired or not isn't relevant. "Former" means it is something he did in the past, but is no longer doing. He raced in the past but is no longer racing. This is true regardless of why he isn't racing (which I agree, is unknown). Whether he is inactive because he is retired (and hasn't confirmed it), or because it is a sabitical, or because noone will hire him; whether his inactivity is permenant or temporary; he is not an active racing driver anymore. Therefore it is accurate and correct to describe him as a former racing driver until such a time that he is once again active. SSSB (talk) 16:27, 6 September 2025 (UTC)[reply]
so you would call a footballer on a doping ban a former football player as they are an inactive due to their ban. and is Diego Costa no longer a footballer due to no one hiring him even though he hasn't specified that he has retired. TheSpecialOne799 (talk) 16:35, 6 September 2025 (UTC)[reply]
Your comparing apples and oranges. Vettel is not on a ban. It also depends on contracts. As far as I can tell from Costa's wikipedia article, he is still signed with Botafogo. Therefore he is still working as a footballer. If he doesn't have an active contract, and he hasn't for some time, then, by the definition of the word "former", he would be a former footballer, yes. In the case of a doper, again, by definition, they are a former footballer. Although in that the case the lead sentence would probably read "X is a footballer serving a doping ban.", not "X is a former footballer." Which is why you are comparing apples and oranges. SSSB (talk) 16:42, 6 September 2025 (UTC)[reply]
No a footballer on a doping ban is still a footballer as they haven't retired from playing. they are a footballer who is serving a doping ban. when Pogba was banned they said Paul Pogba is a french football player who is currently serving a doping ban and is ineligible to play.
also Costa is a free agent hasn't played since 2024 but the lead sentence of "Diego Costa is a brazillian football player who most recently played for Campeonato Brasileiro Série A club Gremio", is a perfect way of describing it as he hasn't retired, he just a free agent. TheSpecialOne799 (talk) 17:04, 6 September 2025 (UTC)[reply]
On a more relevant point that the one above, are Pérez and Bottas both "former" drivers then? Both are inactive and will remain so until their contracts for next year begin. MB243716:54, 6 September 2025 (UTC)[reply]
To claim someone is a former driver means that they no longer race AND have no intention to race in the future. The standard practice around every sport biography (that I'm aware of) is that you wouldn't claim former until someone has announced their retirement or obviously have no intention of coming back. Vettel is most definitely a former F1 driver but he's not a former racing driver, as he has never retired nor announced his retirement from all forms of motor racing, in fact (as I linked before) he has said he is considering competitive motorsports! The motorsports wikiproject doesn't use the term "inactive" but that is essentially where Vettel is at this point in his career. QWisps (talk) 00:57, 7 September 2025 (UTC)[reply]
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