Sebastian Vettel retired from F1 at the end of the 2022 season; the four-time world champion says he is fit enough to compete and cannot rule out a comeback; F1 from Friday to Sunday Sebastian Vettel last drove for Aston Martin in the 2022 season Sebastian Vettel says he “can’t rule out” he will end his retirement and return to Formula 1.
The four-time world champion decided to retire from the sport at the end of the 2022 season but has since been touted for a comeback. Vettel, who just turned 36 in July, is almost six years younger than Fernando Alonso, the oldest driver on the current grid.
How Red Bull wins the Constructors’ Championship in Singapore Martin Brundle asked Vettel in an exclusive interview with Sky Sports F1 if he would follow in the footsteps of fellow world champions Nigel Mansell, Alonso and Kimi Räikkönen when he returns from his break. “I can’t say no because you don’t know,” said Vettel.
F1 juniors Zac and Scarlett talk to four-time world champion Sebastian Vettel about their life in F1 and the Race without Trace project. “I think if you had asked everyone, probably some of them would have said no. And some of them I don’t know, but in the end they all came back, so I can’t rule it out.
” Vettel spent his last two seasons in F1 driving for an Aston Martin team that appeared stuck in midfield, but his replacement Alonso used the much-improved 2023 car to claim seven podiums in the first 14 races. There is no doubt that the team’s lack of competitiveness during his time with them played a role in Vettel’s decision to leave the sport, and he admits that only the right “challenge” could lure him back.
“It probably depends a lot on when and of course it’s not infinite because 36 is not like ‘yes in 10 years.’ F1 boss Simon Lazenby recalls the brilliant moment Sebastian Vettel ambushed Lewis Hamilton’s interview to explain that the “seagulls” were to blame for the costly lockout at the 2016 Canadian GP. “Maybe I’ll think about it in time, but it depends on the challenge, whatever it is, but it’s not on my mind right now. “And I like to see the challenge of what to do next. It will be, as I see it, the biggest challenge for any racer and the biggest challenge for any athlete. What do you do after that? “Because you are naturally 30-35, 40-45 – depending on your sport and discipline. So what?
“There’s a lot of life left, and life can be great even if you don’t drive, you know, the absolute limit of the fastest car in the world, but you can still do a lot of great things that give you great joy. .” Vettel was linked with a temporary return when his former teammate Lance Stroll suffered a wrist injury just weeks before the start of the season, but the Aston Martin driver finally made a remarkable comeback for the first race.
The German admits he has maintained his fitness to such an extent that the only major obstacle to an immediate return would be building the neck strength needed to withstand the extreme G-forces of F1 drivers.
However, he insists that staying in shape is more of a lifestyle choice than preparation for a return to the gridiron. Asked if he was ready for the race, Vettel replied: “Yes, but because I want to, not because I want to come back or if someone crashes, I (go in), not because of that. “But I don’t think my neck is all right.
No, it can’t be, but everything else is pretty, pretty good, I’d say.” Vettel spoke of being approached by Red Bull to drive their 2011 championship car at the Nürburgring. The car was driven on sustainable fuels as Vettel and Red Bull promoted Germany’s Race Without Trace campaign, which aims to increase the sustainability of motorsport.
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