The return of Sebastian Vettel to Formula 1 has been one of the most exciting rumors in the motorsport world in the past few weeks. Being one of only four F1 drivers to win 4 consecutive championships in the sport, Vettel is one of the greatest talents to race in F1. However, after his dominance with Red Bull Racing, his promise to deliver a championship for Ferrari never materialized due to Mercedes‘ dominance in the turbo-hybrid era. And even in his last two seasons with Aston Martin, he never got a competitive car, ultimately leading to him hanging up his helmet at the end of 2022.

However, recent developments in the Formula world have sparked conversations about Vettel’s potential return. One major factor is his former rival and good friend, Lewis Hamilton, who signed a new deal with Ferrari, leaving behind a big gap at Mercedes. Vettel could be the perfect replacement for Hamilton.

The other reason was Vettel’s recent return into the cockpit of the Porsche 963 hypercar for testing, hinting that he’s beginning to want to get back to racing. But does that mean that he’s looking for a drive in Formula 1? Well, he was never opposed to the idea of his F1 return to begin with.

Sebastian Vettel remains in constant touch with Toto Wolff

After completing 118 laps in the Porsche 963 at Aragon, Spain, Vettel made it clear that he’s not planning to race in this year’s 24 Hours of Le Mans. However, in an interview with BBC Radio 5 Live, Vettel opened up about his potential return to Formula 1. “I’m having thoughts that are crossing my mind and thinking about [a return],” he said. However, he clarified his decision will hinge on future developments in the sport.

When specifically asked about the possibility of joining Mercedes, Vettel acknowledges the fluidity of the situation, highlighting the ongoing movement in the driver market, saying, “I’m following the sport and at the minute there’s quite a lot of movement when it comes to drivers, the driver market, and so on. I’m obviously in contact with a lot of people still. I’m speaking as well to Toto [Wolff] every now and then. It depends, I guess, but at the minute it’s not the number one priority.”

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However, Mercedes isn’t the only team looking for a driver. Red Bull also might find itself in a situation where they have to look for Max Verstappen‘s replacement if things get worse between Christian Horner and the Verstappen camp (including Max’s father, Jos, and Helmut Marko). And Vettel has made it known that he won’t come back just for the sake of it.

Sebastian Vettel will only return to F1 if he is offered a decent overall package

In a recent interview with Sky, Vettel spoke about his comeback, emphasizing that his decision depends on the overall competitive package he is offered. He admitted to missing the fun of competition but also admitted that there are aspects of F1 life that he doesn’t miss.

When asked if he was in the driver market for 2025, Vettel said, “Well, potentially I am because I haven’t got a drive, but the question is, am I looking for one? I think it depends on the package. I retired from Formula 1 not to come back, but I also did say that you never know. So I think it still stands.“ However, he downplayed the urgency of securing a seat, suggesting that while he is in discussions, returning to F1 isn’t his top priority right now.

One thing to keep in mind is that Vettel is still a fair bit younger than Lewis Hamilton and Fernando Alonso at 36, and he feels like he still has a lot to offer to the sport.

Vettel thinks he can easily have another 10 years in Formula 1

While he stepped away from Formula 1 to spend more quality time with his family, the temptation of racing has never really faded away for Sebastian Vettel. His recent test with Porsche is evidence of his hunger to go fast. Reflecting on his fellow world champions Alonso and Hamilton, who continue to race at older ages, Vettel sees himself as still having plenty of years left in the sport.

His recent ambassadorship with Perple, a new UK energy drink, adds a touch of humor to the conversation, with Vettel jokingly suggesting he’s ahead of his older counterparts in terms of fitness and energy. “From an age point of view, I feel bloody young with all the guys that [I was] raised with still hanging around and signing big contracts, being around for longer! It looks like I could have another 10 years in the sport!“ he said on The Chris Moyles Show on Radio X.

Sebastian Vettel definitely has some business left in Formula 1. Having failed to secure a fifth world championship in the second half of his career, Vettel will surely be keeping an eye on the driver market. Will we see the German driver on the grid in 2025? What are your thoughts on the matter?

READ MORE: George Russell approves Sebastian Vettel as 2025 teammate in 6-word statement