Is Sebastian Vettel the ideal candidate for Mercedes to fill the void left by Lewis Hamilton‘s departure to Ferrari? Speculation has arisen following confirmation of Hamilton’s move to the Scuderia, prompting discussions about who will take his place at Mercedes alongside George Russell.
Vettel, who retired from Formula 1 at the conclusion of the 2022 season, has acknowledged exchanging text messages with Mercedes Team Principal Toto Wolff.
When questioned about Hamilton’s departure, Vettel responded: “I was surprised by this change.
“Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff didn’t call me, but we briefly exchanged text messages.
“But so far it’s not an issue for me, also because at 36 I still have all the time in the world. So it doesn’t go away. But my signs haven’t changed.
“I think that I have learned and understood a lot in this one year without racing, including about myself.
“Being on the other side had a big impact on me; a lot of questions came up. So far there is no active project.”
Since departing from Formula 1, Sebastian Vettel has refrained from returning to racing, dedicating his time to personal endeavors and spending time with his family.
However, when questioned about the possibility of a comeback to Formula 1, Vettel remained adamant: “No, I already said back then that there wouldn’t be a clear no in that sense, because I believe that everything is a process.
“Maybe there will come a point at which I say: Yes, I would like to go back – when I sort it out mentally so that it suddenly makes sense again.
“But at the moment I’m doing very well without driving in Formula 1. There is no firm no, but also no firm yes.”
