Although Sebastian Vettel retired at the end of the 2022 season, he left the door open for a comeback. As a result, Sauber’s new technical chief Mattia Binotto was asked about the possibility of the German former driver joining the Audi project.
In reply, Binotto said as per Sky, “I love Sebastian. I know him very well from the past and I appreciate working with him. I know how strong he is as a person and as a driver.”
| Rumours have recently surfaced of Sebastian Vettel allegedly being interested in a return to F1, with Audi touted as a potential destination.
Mattia Binotto has commented on the prospect of Vettel joining Audi:
“I love Sebastian. I know him very well from the past and I… pic.twitter.com/ODXknd1wSr
— Ferrari News (@FanaticsFerrari) September 6, 2024
Binotto revealed that since he’s still relatively new at Sauber/Audi, he will need some time to make the driver’s decision. However, former F1 World Champion Nico Rosberg believes that Sauber/Audi should give Vettel the chance as he said, “Sebastian Vettel at Audi? I would do that straight away. Why not?”
Helmut Marko recently came out and detailed how Vettel is itching to get back to premier motorsport racing. The four-time champion reportedly contacted Toto Wolff regarding the possibility of signing with Mercedes for the upcoming season. Vettel, when asked about the possibility of making a comeback a few months ago, explained that a lot would depend on the position and prospects of the team.
Nonetheless, Sauber/Audi will most likely be a good move for Vettel, as he’d get to drive for a German brand with an all-German lineup. Volkswagen Group is the biggest manufacturer of Automobiles and Audi is known for succeeding in every motorsport they’ve stepped foot into.
Binotto on Audi/Sauber’s 2025 driver options
Over the last few months, multiple names have been linked to the second Sauber/Audi seat. Current drivers Valtteri Bottas and Zhou Guanyu are still being considered.
However, Binotto seems more interested in giving one of their F2 drivers a chance. According to RN365, Binotto said,
“Theo is our present reserve driver and is already part of the family, and no doubt that he is on our list. Gabriel is doing very well in F2. He has shown to be a great talent. Certainly we are looking at what he is doing as we are looking at many others. I don’t see that as the only name on which we are focusing our attention.”
Other than these drivers, speculations also emerged that Sauber/Audi was considering signing Mick Schumacher. With all these drivers being considered, Vettel’s chances of making a return look slim.
