Sebastian Vettel has refused to definitively rule out a return to Formula 1. The four-time world champion retired at the end of 2022, but there have been murmurs about a comeback over the past few months.
Vettel started his career at Toro Rosso in 2008 and then graduated to Red Bull, where he became just the third driver in F1 history (after Juan Manuel Fangio and Michael Schumacher) to win four straight titles. In 2015, he fulfilled a lifelong dream by joining Ferrari.
While the German won 14 Grands Prix with the Scuderia, he fell short of his ultimate goal of winning the championship. His best shot was perhaps the 2018 season, but a series of high-profile errors proved costly.
Eventually, Ferrari decided to move on at the end of the 2020 season, replacing Vettel with Carlos Sainz. The veteran would then drop down to Aston Martin for the final two years of his career.
But now Vettel’s name is being whispered once again in driver market circles. There have even been tentative links with the vacancy left by Lewis Hamilton at Mercedes.
Vettel believes he remains in the appropriate physical condition to race in F1. He recently tested a Porsche hypercar, and he drove Ayrton Senna’s 1993 McLaren at Imola last weekend.
Sebastian Vettel eyes possible Audi move
According to formula1.com, Vettel has his sights set on Audi rather than Mercedes. He’s ‘believed to be interested’ in joining their project.
Audi will enter F1 in the 2026 season when they assume control of Sauber. They’ve already signed one experienced German driver in the form of Nico Hulkenberg.
While Vettel’s name undeniably stands out as a ‘wildcard’ option, a move looks ‘increasingly unlikely’. Sainz, Yuki Tsunoda and Alpine duo Pierre Gasly and Esteban Ocon are all stronger contenders.
Both Sky Sports F1 commentator David Croft and former Aston Martin colleague Bernie Collins have raised concerns about the 36-year-old coming back to F1. The suggestion is that he was past his best by the time he retired.
Why Ferrari ‘hated’ Sebastian Vettel before he joined
At the beginning of the 2010s, Vettel put together an era of dominance not unlike what Max Verstappen has produced in recent years. He romped to the title in 2011 and 2013, winning a record-equalling nine races in a row to close out the latter campaign.
The battle for glory in 2010 and 2012 was far closer. On both occasions, he denied Ferrari driver Fernando Alonso at the final race.
Former Ferrari strategist Ruth Buscombe admits that the team ‘hated’ Vettel during his heyday because he was simply ‘too good’. They grew sick of the sight of him celebrating.
It’s been more than a decade now since F1 saw Vettel as his absolute peak. And that’s why teams like Audi may regard signing him as too big a risk, much as it would attract plenty of publicity.
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