Sebastian Vettel retired from Formula One at the end of the 2022 season; The four-time world champion says he is still fit enough to race and cannot rule out a return; Watch the full interview and all sessions from the Singapore GP live on Sky Sports F1 from Friday to Sunday
Last updated: 09/13/23 at 3:01 PM
Sebastian Vettel’s last race with Aston Martin was in the 2022 season
Sebastian Vettel says he “can’t rule out” the possibility of coming out of retirement to return to the Formula 1 grid.
The four-time world champion opted to exit the sport at the end of the 2022 season but has since been touted to return.
Having only turned 36 in July, Vettel is almost six years younger than the oldest driver on the current grid, Fernando Alonso.
In an exclusive interview with Sky Sports F1Martin Brundle asked Vettel if he would follow in the footsteps of fellow world champions Nigel Mansell, Alonso and Kimi Raikkonen by returning after a layoff.
“I can’t say no, because you don’t know,” Vettel said.
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F1 Juniors’ Zak and Scarlett talk to four-time world champion Sebastian Vettel about his life after Formula 1 and his project Race Without a Trace.
“I think it’s something that if you asked them all, maybe some of them would have said ‘no’. Some of them I don’t know, but in the end they all came back, so I can’t rule it out.” He. She.”
Vettel spent his last two seasons in Formula 1 driving for an Aston Martin team that looked mired in the midfield, but his replacement Alonso has taken advantage of a vastly improved 2023 car to claim seven podium finishes in his first 14 races.
There is no doubt that the team’s lack of competitiveness during his time with them played a part in Vettel’s decision to step away from the sport, and he admits that only the right ‘challenge’ could tempt him back.
“Maybe it will very much depend on when, obviously not indefinitely, because 36 is not the same as ‘yes in 10 years’.
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Sky F1’s Simon Lazenby looks back at the remarkable moment when Sebastian Vettel ambushed Lewis Hamilton’s interview to explain that “seagulls” were responsible for his costly lock-up at the 2016 Canadian Grand Prix.
“Maybe I’ll think about it and then time will pass, but it will depend on the challenge, whatever it is, but that’s not on my mind right now.
“And I enjoy that kind of challenge of what to do next. It would be the way I see it, the biggest challenge for any racing driver and the biggest challenge for any athlete, or sportswoman, is what do you do next?
“Because of course you will be 30-35, 40-45 – depending on your sport and your discipline. And then what?
“There’s a lot of life left and life can be great even though you’re not racing, you know, the absolute limit of the fastest car in the world, but you can still do a lot of cool things that give you great pleasure.”
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Recently retired four-time world champion Sebastian Vettel was spotted in the paddock during practice in Monaco.
Vettel was linked with a temporary return to the grid when former team-mate Lance Stroll suffered a wrist injury just weeks before the start of the season, but the Aston Martin driver eventually made an impressive return in time for the first race.
The German admits he has maintained his fitness to the point that the only major hurdle to his immediate return will be rebuilding the neck strength required to withstand extreme drivers in Formula 1.
However, he insists that staying fit is a lifestyle choice and not a goal to prepare for a return to the gridiron.
When asked if he was ready to race, Vettel said: “Yes, but because I want to, not because I want to come back or if someone goes down I will step in, not because of that.”
“But I think my neck’s not up to the speed. No, it can’t be so, but everything else is pretty, pretty good, I think.”
Vettel was speaking to Sky Sports while teaming up with Red Bull to drive his 2011 championship-winning car at the Nürburgring.
The car was powered by sustainable fuel as Vettel and Red Bull promoted Germany’s Racing Without Trace campaign, which aims to increase sustainability in motorsport.
Watch Sebastian Vettel’s full interview with Martin Brundle during Sky Sports F1’s live coverage of this weekend’s Singapore Grand Prix. All sessions are live from Friday to Sunday.
Live Singapore Grand Prix schedule on Sky Sports F1
Friday 15 September
10am: Singapore GP Practice One (session starts at 10:30pm)
1.45pm: Singapore General Training 2 (session starts at 2pm)
3.30pm: Formula 1 show
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Take a look at some of the most dramatic moments that happened at the Singapore Grand Prix.
Saturday 16 September
10.15am: Singapore General Training 3 (session starts at 10.30am)
1:00 p.m.: Singapore Grand Prix qualifying preparations
2 p.m.: Singapore Grand Prix qualifying
3.45pm: Ted’s qualifying notebook
Sunday 17 September
11.30pm: Sunday Grand Prix: Preparations for the Singapore Grand Prix
1:00 p.m.: Singapore Grand Prix
3pm: The checkered flag: Singapore Grand Prix reaction
4pm: Ted’s notebook
