Formula One: Trainer leaves Vettel for women’s hockey

LONDON: The trainer singled out by Sebastian Vettel for special praise has decided to return to Finland to coach a women’s ice-hockey team. Vettel’s spokesperson confirmed that Tommi Parmakoski, a former hockey player who coached at Finland’s Kuortane Sports Institute, would not be the German’s physiotherapist when the next season started in March. The 24-year-old champion paid tribute to the Finn after he won this year’s title in Japan in October with four races to spare. “One person that really stands out this year is the person I spend most of my time with during the year: my trainer Tommi Parmakoski,” Vettel had said.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 16^th, 2011.