SÉBASTIEN BUEMI: 20 YEARS AT THE PINNACLE OF MOTORSPORT

For two decades, Sébastien Buemi has competed against the best drivers on the pLanet. From his battles with future world champion Sebastian VetteL in FormuLa BMW in 2004 to his four victories at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, along with remarkabLe achievements in FormuLa 1 and FormuLa E, the Vaudois driver is not onLy the most decorated Swiss racer in history but also a passionate car enthusiast. This passion is showcased in his private museum, which we had the chance to visit during an event organized by ALpian Bank.

A Hidden Gem in Vaud

Thursday, October 10, 2024. We find ourselves in front of an unassuming building in the industrial zone of a small Vaudois town. Antoine Buemi, Sébastien Buemi’s father, welcomes us and invites us upstairs. What greets us there is nothing short of astonishing. Behind several grand touring cars, including a Porsche 911 GT2 RS and a Ferrari Testarossa, six racing cars are on display. “Each of these played a pivotal role in my son’s career,” Antoine Buemi ex-plains.

The first car we see is a Formula BMW.

“This car is truly decisive for me,” Sébastien Buemi, who has now joined us, tells us. “In my very first single-seater season, after years in karting, I managed to finish third in the Formula BMW championship and often matched the pace of Sebastian Vettel, áho áon the title.”

F1 at Just 20 Years Old
Buemi’s stellar performance caught the attention of Red Bull, which supported him for a second Formula BMW season in 2005, where he claimed the runner-up title behind future F1 driver Nico Hülkenberg. With Red Bull’s backing, his career took off. In 2007, he not only finished as vice-champion in European F3 but also made headlines at the Monaco Grand Prix. Entering the GP2 race as a last-minute substitute, Buemi qualified fourth and finished seven-th despite having never driven in Monaco or piloted a GP2 car before. Red Bull’s decision-makers saw they had a gem in Sébastien Buemi and, in 2009, gave him a Toro Rosso for the first of his three F1 seasons.

At just 20 years old, Buemi finished seven-th in his debut Grand Prix, scoring his first championship points—a feat reminiscent of Alain Prost’s achievement in 1980. Naturally, his first F1 car holds a prominent place in his private museum, alongside the 2007 F3 car and the GP2 single-seater from Monaco. Speaking of Prost, now head of Renault’s Formula E team, he would later recruit Buemi for the groundbreaking 100% electric championship. This partnership led to a championship title in 2016.

Five-Time World Champion

Today, the Vaudois driver boasts five world championship titles: one in Formula E and four in endurance racing (2014, 2019, 2022, and 2023). These are complemented by four victories at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 2018, 2019, 2020, and 2022, all with Toyota. “I made sure to include the Toyota from my first Le Mans in the museum. There’s also a Formula E Renault,” Buemi continues. These two cars symbolize the new direction his career took when the doors of F1 closed.

Reflecting on his 20 years at the top of motorsport, Sébastien Buemi is quick to thank his parents, who made significant sacrifices to support his global success, and his grandfather Georges Gachnang, who competed in the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1960. While Buemi hasn’t raced in F1 since 2011, his schedule remains packed. In 2025, he will race again for Toyota in endurance events and for Envision in Formula

1. Additionally, he plays a key role in Max Verstappen’s success in F1. “For about 15 of the 24 races in a season, I head to Red Bull in England to start on the simulator, helping the engineers find the best setups for Max Verstappen,” Buemi concludes.

“In my v9Fy fiFSt single-seater season, after years in karting, I managed to finish in

the Formula BMW championship and often matched the pace of Sebastian V9G9l, who won th9 titl9.”