Sebastian Vettel set to choose a baby name but has yet to decide on permanent number

The current and youngest 4-time F1 World Champion will be a father in 2014.  This was confirmed by Sebastian Vettel’s spokeswoman late last year after rumors started circulating about the pregnancy of his longtime girlfriend Hanna Prater.

Reports say that the couple is 8 months along and may give birth in 4 weeks, which puts it around this month.

Vettel will become just the 4^th active driver in Formula One and a father at the same time.  He “joins the club” that includes Felipe Massa, Pastor Maldonado and Romain Grosjean.

And if you think that fatherhood may slow him down, history suggests otherwise.  Grosjean clocked in faster the year his child was born and Michael Schumacher won 5 of his 7 World Championships after his second child was born.

By the numbers

Sebastian Vettel has yet to choose a permanent number although he has the option to choose #1 by virtue of being the current World Champion.

Fernando Alonso will use 14.  “It has been my lucky number since 1996, when, while I was 14, on July 14 and with kart number 14 I won the world championship.  Since then I have always used 14. Hopefully it will be lucky next year," said the Spaniard.

Kimi Raikkonen chose #7, Felipe Massa will use #19, Valtteri Bottas picked #77, Nico Rosberg (#6, #5 or #8), Sergio Perez (#11), Jean-Eric Vergne (#21, #25 or #27).