Toto Wolff’s ace up his sleeve to replace Lewis Hamilton: Sebastian Vettel returns to Formula 1 to race for Mercedes?

“My goals went from winning races to wanting to see my kids grow up.”She said Sebastian Vettel when he left the Formula 1 and announced his retirement. But now, 16 months after that tenth place in the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, he doesn’t rule out a return. Also, revealed that he spoke with Toto Wolffwho has an open (and coveted) seat at Mercedes for the 2025 season, following the departure of Lewis Hamilton to Ferrari.

“I’m potentially on the market because I don’t have a place, but the question is: am I looking for one? I think it depends on the package.. I retired from Formula 1 so as not to return, but I also said that you never know – she replied in conversation sky sports from England-. “You never know where life takes you, so maybe it will put me back behind the wheel, or maybe not.”

Despite attempting to encrypt his message, the 36-year-old German could not deny having spoken to the Mercedes team leader. “I’ve had conversations with him (Wolff), not really about the seat. We also talked briefly about the whole situation (of Hamilton’s departure). But I’ve also talked to others because I still keep in touch from time to time,” He warned: “I have some projects and ideas together with F1. We’ll see if they come to fruition or not.”

“So I’ll keep in touch. I don’t know. I imagine it will take a couple more calls and conversations to find out more. But I’m sure It’s one of the best places on the grill.“, he elaborated.

His statements, as expected, had resonance in view of the Japanese Grand Prix (this Sunday at 2 on Star+) and the questions aimed precisely at Hamilton, enthusiastic about his friend’s return to F1 and, indeed, to take his place .

“I would love Seb to come back. I think he would be an amazing option for the team. A German driver, a multiple winner who boasts four world titles, someone who has extraordinary values ​​and who will continue to take this team forward. I would be very happy if he came back,” said the seven-time champion.

Faced with the enormous possibility of becoming Mercedes’ number 1 driver, George Russell may not have been so enthusiastic. like his compatriot: “Sebastian is a great person. He is a four-time world champion and without a doubt his personality is missing on the grid. I think it is important to have the 20 best riders in the world competing to win races and I am “very happy and open to having anyone as a teammate, whether a world champion or a rookie; this doesn’t change the way I work. We will welcome anyone.”

After 16 seasons in Formula 1 and four titles (all in Red Bull), many believed in the climate of the category that Vettel had made the hasty decision to contest his last race aboard an Aston Martin on 20 November 2022. “Obviously there are things that I miss: the excitement, the speed. I think, actually, mostly the competition,” he acknowledged. “And things I don’t miss, so that hasn’t changed. Obviously, life is a lot different if you’re not around.” involved and still like it.

In 2023 Vettel lived “something like a life for the first time”. Last May, in an interview with German media Image of the sunhe said: “It took me a while to get used to it, but now above all I enjoy time with my children.”

However, remaining active and in good shape, he has not shied away from motorsports and recently gave it a try Porsche hypercar for the 24 Hours of Le Mans. In fact, he confirmed that there is a possibility that he will do the legendary test: “Maybe I don’t know yet. I’m tempted and I’m not. Obviously I’m also looking for many other things.” and there are many other things that interest me outside of my career.”

“I was curious, so I wanted to see how it felt and that’s why I tried it. Obviously it’s a different discipline. It’s still a race, but it’s a different car, a different discipline. There are a lot of things that excite me , many different things, not necessarily just looking at something behind the wheel but also outside the car,” he explained based on the possibility of being there that weekend of June 15 and 16 at the Circuit de la Sarthe.

Hamilton’s move to Ferrari: “I was surprised”

Formula 1 is a wheel. Nobody in the paddock is surprised that Carlos Sainz is unemployed when the championship has just started; Sebastian Vettel, for example, knew before the end of the 2020 season that he would not continue at Ferrari. Nor is it surprising that a driver accepts the Prancing Horse’s proposal to “realize a dream he has had since he was a child”. That phrase used by the German was also used by Hamilton in February this year to describe his decision to become his driver. at 40 years old (he will achieve them on January 7, 2025) and will leave the team where he won six of his seven titles.

“I was surprised, as I think most of us were. But it’s exciting. Obviously, he’s looking for a new challenge and it will be different to see him in red, a different colour,” Vettel said of the Englishman. “It’s always about the team, wherever you go, because it’s a team sport. I think without Mercedes Lewis’ career would have been very different. Time will tell. “It was his decision, I wish him the best, I know Ferrari and although many will measure it by the results, the true measure will be whether he will be happy or not,” he wished.

Ten years ago, on 4 October 2014, and during the Japanese Grand Prix, Vettel shook the paddock when he announced that he would leave Red Bull, the best car until the hybrid era consecrated Mercedes, to join Ferrari. “Looking back, I regret leaving the team like that. It saddens me to remember how things ended there, but sometimes that’s sport. Everything is strange with contracts, which in turn limit what you can say and what you can’t,” the four-time champion told Martin Brundle in 2020.

Although he fulfilled his childhood dream of racing in the same team as his idol Michael Schumacher, Vettel failed to become champion. And during his last years at Ferrari there was a lot of talk about the (bad) relationship between him and Charles Leclerc, who in fact will once again be teammate of a world champion. Maybe that’s why predicted a difficult future for Frederic Vasseurthe boss of the Italian team: “Charles is good, Charles is easy. He is very fast, very competitive, but so is Lewis. So I imagine he is more difficult for the team to manage.”

Finally, regarding the team that will have to give George Russell a new teammate, he said: “In terms of performance, Mercedes has an excellent track record, they have suffered a bit in recent years, but if you have problems and you are still second and third among the Builders, it’s not like you’re competing in no man’s land.