Abu Dhabi: Four-time Formula 1 world champion Sebastian Vettel can head in for a private celebration of his own at this weekend’s season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
Vettel became a father for a third time when his wife and childhood friend Hannah Prater delivered a baby boy on Wednesday, thus delaying the German driver’s arrival to Abu Dhabi by a day.
The 32-year-old was scheduled to attend the customary pre-race press conference alongside teammate Charles Leclerc and Max Verstappen on Thursday evening. But with his wife still in hospital the German decided to delay his arrival for the season’s last race.
With Mercedes teammates Lewis Hamilton and Valterri Bottas already confirmed for the top two spots this season, Leclerc (260) and Verstappen (249) go head to head in the fight for third while Vettel is in fifth with 230 points.
Vettel already has two girls — Emilie who was born in January 2014 and Matilda, who arrived in September 2015. The Vettel family lives in Thurgovia, Switzerland.