Eyeing F1 Return, Sebastian Vettel Wants to Dip His Toes In Over-Saturated Driver Market

In 2022, Sebastian Vettel took off his racing gloves for the last time. After an illustrious career in F1, winning four world championships, Vettel decided to move away from competitive racing. However, the German driver returned to the track earlier this week in a Porsche 963. A car manufacturer with a glorious legacy, Porsche’s 963 competes in the World Endurance Championship and the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

Per a report from F1 Maximaal, Vettel indicated considering a new racing challenge. The German driver claimed he did the tests with Porsche out of curiosity. He added he wanted to see how the car felt before making concrete decisions. Having driven a race car with a roof for the first time, Vettel claimed it was an enriching experience for him. However, time will tell whether Vettel would want to step into a sport that already has numerous drivers.

 

#WEC – Good morning @AragonMotorLand! To prepare for #LeMans24, we are starting a 36h test with the #Porsche963 on the track. Taking part: all 6 @FIAWEC works drivers from #PorschePenskeMotorsport, #DTM Champion @ThomasPreining1 & 4-time #F1 World Champion #SebastianVettel pic.twitter.com/lsBh4EVa1J

— Porsche Motorsport (@PorscheRaces) March 26, 2024

As the former Red Bull driver has an outside chance of making a comeback, Porsche postponed its driver line-up announcement for the third car. Porsche’s Le Mans squad, Team Penske, will compete in the WEC with three cars: two WEC cars and an additional 963 hypercar.

Vettel also referred to rumors about his potential comeback to F1. The German driver admitted to having some “Formula 1 plans for this year.” However, he added he still needs to see what those plans look like. Vettel claimed he does think about returning to F1 at times. But, he decided to step away from the sport, and there is no question of a return, as things stand.

Sebastian Vettel has a positive review of his Porsche testing

Before heading out on the track, Vettel went through an extensive training program on the simulator. He ran prep laps at Porsche’s test track at Weissach. Vettel’s real-life testing took place in Aragon and presumably dwarfed his Weissach testing. The German drove 118 laps around Aragon, completing two double stints. The runs came as part of a continuous 36-hour test by Porsche, which aimed at replicating the endurance race conditions.

 

sebastian vettel in car number 5 again… GOOSEBUMPS pic.twitter.com/efjYzxKpcw

— bogi ♡ (@simpingforseb) March 22, 2024

Porsche claimed there weren’t any problems when referring to Vettel’s runs. Meanwhile, the 36-year-old claimed he had a “good feeling” in the car after the seat adjustment and the sim session in Weissach. Addressing the 963 hypercar, the former Red Bull driver said that driving the car was “definitely fun.” Once he got used to the rhythm of the car, things became much easier for Vettel. Jonathan Diuguid, Managing Director of the Porsche Penske Team, also said that Vettel came out of the cars with a smile, “which is also good.”