Sebastian Vettel has had an amazing career in Formula 1 from 2007 until 2022, when he announced his retirement from the sport. In that time, he showed raw speed, amazing skills and great passion towards his colleagues and rivals.
However, recently, there have been rumours making the rounds of an F1 return for the 4-time world champion. Rumours that Vettel himself has addressed and given a glimpse for future plans in racing as well.
Sebastian Vettel responds to talk about return to F1
In a recent interview with Auto Motor und Sport, Vettel was asked about Formula 1 and whether he would consider returning to the sport:
“It always comes down to how intensely you want to do something. For me, it’s always been that if I commit to something, I want to do it properly. Just doing it half-heartedly isn’t for me.”
“Formula 1 is finished for me. At some point, the time comes to step aside and let others take over. You can see that now with all the rookies.”
In 2025, Formula 1 has introduced six new “full-time” drivers onto the grid. This is a record number compared to recent years. We have seen a major shift in driver experience in this time as only three drivers on the grid have more than 15 years of racing under their belt. Vettel admits that his stance towards his colleagues has changed a lot over the years:
“I think it’s great that there’s been a big refresh. It’s not a vote against the older drivers, but one for the younger ones. Back in the day, I didn’t care who from the established names left — I just wanted to be the one driving.”
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After Vettel left Formula 1, he has been majorly focusing on the environment and equal opportunities for everyone. He has been a big presence in trying to make changes to battle climate change. We have also seen Vettel during race weekends. During the 2023 Japanese Grand Prix, Vettel built “Bee-Hotels” in Turn 2 at Suzuka to raise awareness. Also during last year’s Imola Grand Prix where he drove Senna’s car in an emotional tribute to the legend.
Return to racing for Vettel in other series
Although Vettel ruled out a return to Formula 1, he is still eager to get back in a racing car to show what he can do. He talked about joining the World Endurance Championship series in the future and why this would be a good fit:
“In the past, endurance racing didn’t really interest me much — I had more of a lone-wolf mindset. But I see it differently today. I find it really exciting — the team dynamic, sharing a car, making compromises.”
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“In motorsport, you can’t really say: I’ll just do half the races. That’s why the WEC would actually fit well, with its eight races, which are also spaced out differently compared to Formula 1.”
With his refreshed view on participating in racing at the top, Vettel was asked about what it would take for him to join the increasingly popular racing series:
“The right constellation at the right time, the right partnership, the right outlook.”
With these comments from the four-time world champion, several questions come to mind. Will we see him take on the challenge of Le Mans with a top-tier WEC team? Or could another surprise await in a different series altogether? One thing we know for sure: when Sebastian Vettel gets behind the wheel again, he’ll make sure we are watching.
