Sebastian Vettel finally calls on the potential F1 comeback

Sebastian Vettel categorically excluded to return to Formula 1 – almost three years after he had withdrawn from sport.

The German driver, who won four F1 World Championships with Red Bull from 2010 to 2013, retired at the end of the 2022 season.

Advertising

Vettel also drove for Ferrari and Aston Martin in a respected career in which he won 53 races and ended on the podium 122 times.

However, the 38-year-old has been associated with a return in recent years, not least at Red Bull, during the second driver problems. Vettel has now completely ruled out the return to the sport, where he started 16 seasons.

“F1 is ready,” Vettel told German Outlet Auto motor and sports. “At some point it is ripe to leave the field to others.

“You see this with the newcomers. I think it's good that many drivers have now been replaced.

“This is not a coordination against the older ones, but for the younger ones. In the past, I didn't care who was no longer driving among the established drivers. The most important thing was that I was allowed to drive.”

Advertising

However, Vettel did not rule out that in other motorsport series such as the World Endurance Championship (WEC) and consequently the respected 24 hours of the Le Mans event.

“There were talks, but somehow it hasn't come about,” said Vettel of a place in Le Mans.

Sebastian Vettel excluded and returned to the F1 (Getty Images)

“In the past, I honestly were not so interested in endurance sports, in my view as a lonely fighter.

“Nowadays I see it differently. I find it completely exciting when this team structure shared a car and compromises.

“It is difficult to say in motorsport: I will only drive half of the races. WEC would actually be good for the eight races, which are also differentiated from different ways than Formula 1.

“It's always a question of how intensely you want to do something. For me it has always been that I want to do it well if I take part in something. Only participating is not for me.”