Backed by Sauber CEO Andreas Seidl, Audi will reportedly try to convince four-time World Champion Sebastian Vettel to come out of retirement and make his Formula 1 comeback as the leading driver of Audi. The German legend hung up his racing boots after the 2022 Formula 1 season and has been kept out of the limelight ever since.
According to a recent report by the Swiss newspaper Blick, Andreas Seidl has already made up his mind regarding who will be driving for the Audi team when they debut in Formula 1 in 2026. The first choice for Audi would apparently be Vettel, who would be 39 by the time Audi enters Formula 1.
However, Vettel has constantly repeated that he has no interest in rejoining the apex motorsport racing series. Instead, he is happy with his family time, which was near to impossible to have during his F1 career.
So, if Vettel doesn’t happen for Audi, they have a backup. The Swiss newspaper also claimed Audi would target Carlos Sainz Jr in their Plan B, who has already worked with Andreas Seidl during their time together at McLaren.
Sebastian Vettel And Carlos Sainz Are Both Suitable Candidates For Audi
There are almost three years left before Audi debuted in Formula 1. However, The German manufacturers have made it very clear that they are in no mood to rock up to the grid unprepared. The Ingolstadt-based giant has already tied up with Sauber and will use their help to set foot into the pinnacle of motorsports, Formula 1.
As part of their preparations, Sauber already acquired the services of German engineer Andreas Seidl before the start of the 2023 Formula 1 season. The ‘German factor’ is very important for Audi, as can be understood by their decision to make all their Power Units at the Neuburg factory in Germany. Therefore it is quite evident that they would be looking at German F1 legend Vettel to lead them out onto the track when they make their Formula 1 debut.
Carlos Sainz is also not a bad option for Audi if Sebastian Vettel refuses to come out of retirement. The Sainz family is very closely associated with Audi. Carlos Sainz Senior recently participated in the Dakar Rally as an Audi driver. Sainz will be out of contract by the end of 2024, and looking at the current state of Ferrari, it won’t be a surprise if he looks for other avenues.
🎥 First footage of @CSainz_oficial and @LucasCruz74‘s crash, after only 6km in the special. 🚗#Dakar2023 pic.twitter.com/se7SKV27YD
— DAKAR RALLY (@dakar) January 10, 2023
Audi Preparations Are In Full Swing
The German manufacturer has started their preparations in full force before their grand entry in Formula 1. They are trying to thicken the ranks of their employees and therefore have put up various job listings on their website.
Audi is expected to arrive in Formula 1 fully prepared, ready to tackle all the hardships. It is to be seen if they can recruit the likes of Sebastian Vettel or even Carlos Sainz, but either way, they will definitely try their best to make a mark in F1.
