Sebastian Vettel Contemplates Spectacular Return to Formula 1

• Sports

Four-time world champion and 53-time Grand Prix winner, Sebastian Vettel, hints at the possibility of reversing his recent retirement decision to rejoin the Formula 1 racing grid. While the world of motorsports witnessed Vettel conclude his illustrious career at the end of the 2022 season with Aston Martin, the racing prodigy hasn't entirely shut the door on a potential comeback.

A Legacy Echoed by Legends

When posed with the question by Sky Sports regarding a possible return, reminiscent of F1 icons like Alain Prost, Niki Lauda, Nigel Mansell, Kimi Raikkonen, and Fernando Alonso, Vettel responded with a refreshing honesty, “I can’t say no, because you don’t know”.

Drawing parallels to these racing legends, Vettel muses, “I think it's something that if you asked all of them, probably some of them would have said, ‘No’, and some of them, ‘I don’t know’, but in the end, all of them came back, so I can’t exclude it”.

A Matter of Time and Challenge

At 36, Vettel is acutely aware of the ticking clock, emphasizing that if a return were ever on the horizon, it would not be an endless wait. "It probably will depend much on when, and obviously it’s not endless, because at 36 it’s not like, ‘Yeah, in 10 years’ time, maybe I think about it’, then time has passed," he states.

However, for the time being, Vettel's focus remains elsewhere. “It will depend on the challenge, whatever, but it’s not in my head right now. I’m enjoying the sort of outlook of the challenge of what to do next”.

Race-Fit but Not Quite Ready

Although Vettel has maintained his fitness since stepping away from the limelight of F1, he is candid about not keeping up with every rigorous demand of the sport. When quizzed about his current fitness level, he remarks, “Yeah, but because I want to, not because I’m like, ‘Yeah, I’m going to come back’, or if somebody falls out I’m going to [replace them], not because of that”.

On a lighter note, he jests about his neck strength not being "up to speed", but confidently adds that "everything else is pretty good, I would say."