Sebastian Vettel could be set to return to Formula 1 just two years after announcing his retirement as a senior figure in the sport offers a strong compliment to the four-time world champion.
The German announced he was bowing out on July 28, 2022 citing his desire to protect the planet’s environment as a reason, as well as feeling dissatisfied with results at Lawrence Stroll’s Aston Martin team despite almost winning the 2021 Hungarian GP.
But in the time since, he has often been spotted in the paddock and has been welcomed by his old teams showing that he can’t quite shake off the F1 itch and now he could be set to reunite with his old Ferrari boss, Mattia Binotto.
On March 26, Vettel tested an FIA World Endurance Championship car in Aragon, Spain, completing 118 laps for Porsche ahead of the 24 Hours of Le Mans, although he didn’t actually compete in the end.
Fuel was then added to the fire of his prospective return to motorsport when Helmut Marko told oe.24 he wants to return to F1 whilst Nico Rosberg also suggested he could join Audi in what is the only truly free seat left on the grid prior to the 2024 Azerbaijan GP.
“I love Sebastian,” Binotto, CEO of Sauber, told Sky Sports at the Autodromo Nazionale Monza. “I know him very well from the past and I appreciate working with him. I know how strong he is as a person and as a driver.
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“I have only been here for a few weeks, I have to understand everything first, look around, listen and at some point we will have to make a decision. And that has to be the right decision for Audi. Not just for 2025 but also for the future.”
Who other than Sebastian Vettel is in contention for the Audi 2025 Formula 1 seat?
Audi have already recruited Nico Hulkenberg to join the team from 2025 after he departs Haas but could they hire an all-German line-up by signing Sebastian Vettel for the next Formula 1 season?
With four world titles, 53 wins, 122 podiums and 57 pole positions, the 37-year-old is of very high pedigree and even in his final F1 season showed he still oozes the class that made him one of the most successful drivers ever.
He produced strong performances at the 2022 Japanese GP and 2022 United States GP where he finished sixth and eighth, running for a great result of fifth in the latter until a slow 16-second pit-stop dropped him out of contention.
Vettel looks to be competing against another seasoned driver in Valtteri Bottas, who has comprehensively destroyed Zhou Guanyu in the 2024 F1 season, as well as a young prospect in Gabriel Bortoleto.
The Brazilian Formula 2 driver is currently sits second in the standings in his rookie season with two Feature Race victories for Invicta Racing, 10.5 points behind the Red Bull-backed Isack Hadjar.
He is also a Formula 3 champion and has a strong advocate in Fernando Alonso, who admitted to trying to land him a seat for the 2025 F1 season which would likely be at Sauber.
