Racing
© Jonathan Borba
Sebastian Vettel has ended his 17-year working relationship with longtime press officer Britta Roeske, closing one of Formula 1’s longest-running driver-communications partnerships and marking a significant change in how his post-retirement projects will be managed.
Roeske had been part of Vettel’s professional circle since his first full season with Red Bull in 2009. She worked alongside him through the four consecutive world championships he won from 2010 to 2013, then remained with him through his later moves to Ferrari and Aston Martin. The relationship did not stop when Vettel retired from Formula 1 at the end of 2022, with Roeske continuing to handle communications and support work around his activities away from the grid.
That continuity is what makes the split notable. In a sport where drivers, managers and media teams often change around major career moves, Vettel and Roeske remained linked through every major phase of his F1 career. Their association stretched from his rise at Red Bull to his final season at Aston Martin, and then into a period in which Vettel’s public profile shifted from race weekends to selected campaigns, appearances and personal projects.
In a statement released via F1 Insider, Roeske said she is beginning “a new professional chapter.” She described her time working with Vettel as “formative and enriching” and also as “a rich and special experience” both personally and professionally. The statement made clear that the decision brings to a close a partnership that had extended well beyond standard press-office duties.
Roeske was already a familiar figure in Formula 1 before becoming Vettel’s communications representative. She joined Red Bull ahead of the team’s first season in 2005 after previously working at Renault, now Alpine, and built a long career in F1 media relations before becoming closely associated with Vettel himself. Over time, she came to handle not only his media strategy and external communications, but also broader coordination around his public-facing work.
That role appears to have grown after Vettel stepped away from racing. Reports said Roeske remained involved in organizing his individual projects and event appearances, and had long acted as a coordinator for his environmental protection and sustainability activities. In practical terms, she was part of the structure that helped define Vettel’s public life after Formula 1, not just during his championship years.
The immediate consequence is that a new team is expected to take over Vettel-related public relations, media handling, partnerships and projects. No details have yet been announced about who will assume those responsibilities, but the change signals a new setup around a four-time world champion whose public activity has continued to carry weight even after retirement.