F1 Rumor: Sebastian Vettel Tipped For F1 Return After Massive Support From Team CEO

Saajan Jogia | Sep 6, 2024

Nov 2, 2019; Austin, TX, USA; Scuderia Ferrari Mission Winnow driver Sebastian Vettel (5) of Germany speaks to the media after qualifying for the United States Grand Prix at Circuit of the Americas. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images / Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

Former Formula 1 driver Sebastian Vettel, who retired from the sport after the 2022 season, has been closely linked to a future seat with the Sauber F1 team that is currently transforming to become the Audi Works team by 2026. Speculation suggests that the former Red Bull and Ferrari driver could make an F1 return with the German automaker.

Vettel ended his F1 career with Aston Martin, paving the way for two-time world champion Fernando Alonso to take over his seat. Despite the two-year absence in the premier class of motorsport, the German driver has been linked with several teams for an F1 return.

However, there hasn't yet been a link as strong as the one with Audi, considering the team's new CEO and CTO Mattia Binotto's statements, who Vettel worked with in the past. Audi hired the former Ferrari team principal around the summer break this season as part of its new dual management structure.

Red Bull sporting director Jonathan Wheatley is also part of the organizational arrangement after he announced his Red Bull exit recently, slated to join the Hinwil outfit in mid-2025 as team principal.
It is worth noting that Vettel worked with Wheatley during his tenure with the Milton Keynes outfit, where he won his four championship titles from 2010 to 2013.

As per a report by Sport.de, the rumors of Vettel's Formula 1 return were ignited by Red Bull team advisor Helmut Marko, who told OE24.at in August that the 37-year-old former driver now wants to return to Formula 1, one and a half years after his retirement.

It would be wrong to say that Vettel is disinterested in returning to the premier class of motorsport, considering his statements to Sky Sports F1 in April. When asked if he would be tempted to return to the sport in 2025, he 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.

"Obviously, there's things that I miss, which is mostly the competition. And things that I don't miss, so that hasn't changed. Obviously, life is very different if you're not involved and I do enjoy that still.

"You never know where life is taking you, so maybe it takes me back behind the wheel, maybe it doesn’t.”

Could Vettel's previous links to Binotto and Wheatley secure him a seat at Sauber/Audi in 2025? Former Mercedes world champion driver Nico Rosberg said in a Sky Sports F1 broadcast during the Italian Grand Prix weekend, "Sebastian Vettel at Audi? I would do that straight away. Why not?"

He added that it could mark the F1 icon's return to the sport, hinting that the move just needs more testing: "You just have to make sure that he [Vettel] drives enough kilometers somewhere and then that would be a great thing."

Binotto, meanwhile, spoke about the prospect of Vettel joining Audi in the future when asked by Sky F1. As quoted by Sports.de, he said:

"I love Sebastian. I know him very well from the past and I appreciate working with him. [Translated by Google]

"I know how strong he is as a person and as a driver.

"I've 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."

Apart from Vettel, current Sauber drivers Valtteri Bottas and Zhou Guanyu, F2 driver Gabriel Bortoleto, and Alpine WEC driver Mick Schumacher have been linked to the Audi seat alongside Nico Hulkenberg for 2025 and beyond.