Sebastian Vettel has recently opened up on the phone conversation he had with Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff. During his interview, the German former driver made it clear that he had never called to ask for a seat with the Silver Arrows. Speaking about the same on the most recent episode of The Fast and The Curious podcast, Vettel said,
“I’ve been in contact with most teams because I’m also trying or thinking of some events potentially this year together with Formula 1. So to pitch them or launch them, speaking to all the teams, also Toto, and of course, you also talk a lot about what’s going on, but it wasn’t the main topic. I didn’t call to ask for a seat or to ask for a drive”.
Although Vettel revealed that he is planning a collaboration with the teams of F1, he did not provide any further details on the same. This could also be a reason why the 36-year-old has been in constant touch with Wolff, presumably to decide about how they can collaborate together.
Meanwhile, when it comes to the potential of a racing return, Vettel did not rule out a comeback. It has been more than a year since the former Red Bull driver retired from F1 as he last competed at the 2022 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix with Aston Martin.
Will Sebastian Vettel return to F1?
Following the announcement of Lewis Hamilton’s move to Ferrari, there have been numerous reports that linked Sebastian Vettel to Mercedes. The Briton’s switch next year would vacate a seat at Silver Arrows, and Vettel is regarded as the perfect replacement.
Vettel has over a decade of experience in F1 and also has 299 race starts to his name. Furthermore, he is also a four-time world champion and a 53-time GP winner. Therefore, his immense experience makes him a prime candidate for the seat at Brackley.
When asked if he would be ready to join Mercedes, Vettel stated, “Obviously I retired not to come back. But I did say that you never know and the circumstances, whatever feelings, you never know what happens and might change.”
Vettel played a crucial role in his final couple of seasons with Aston Martin as he helped the Silverstone-based team develop a car that was capable of fighting for podiums in 2023. If Mercedes do end up signing him, then they could utilize all of Vettel’s experience to get back to winning ways.
