The former Formula 1 driver showcased impressive running skills during the historic major, where the two-hour barrier was officially broken for the first time.
The 2026 London Marathon has already been etched into athletics history as the first official event where the sub-two-hour mark was broken over the classic distance. Two athletes achieved it: Kenya’s Sabastian Sawe (1:59:30) and Ethiopia’s Yomif Kejelcha (1:59:40).
Beyond the elite competitors, nearly 50,000 people fulfilled their dream of completing the 42.195-kilometer course—a feat that remains out of reach for most and a source of immense pride. One of them was Germany’s Sebastian Vettel, who, at 38, ran his first marathon with a sensational result: finishing under three hours, an extraordinary barrier for a recreational athlete.
The German, who drove his last F1 race in 2022, clocked a highly respectable time of 2 hours, 59 minutes, and 8 seconds. Running with bib number 45,294, Vettel represented the ‘Brain & Spine Foundation’ and ‘Grand Prix Trust’. He started at 09:35 London time and maintained a steady pace throughout. He reached the halfway point in 1:29:18 and completed the final 21 kilometers in 1:29:50.
The ‘Great Circus’ didn’t miss the chance to congratulate him on social media: “Congratulations to Seb for completing the London Marathon on Sunday with a sub-3-hour time of 2:59:08.”