A number of contracts are due to expire in Formula 1 these days. One name still being bandied about in the driver market is that of Sebastian Vettel. According to the latest speculation, the Heppenheimer could become an option for a surprising team choice.

It is more or less certain that Sebastian Vettel will not be joining Mercedes for next season. The trail to the Silver Arrows was hot for a while, but has cooled off more and more recently. Toto Wolff has now turned his attention to other options, notably Max Verstappen, Kimi Antonelli and Carlos Sainz.

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Vettel back in F1?

Vettel’s possible return comes at a time when the F1 grid is set for significant changes, with more than half the seats up for grabs next year. For Vettel, should the right circumstances arise, this reshuffle offers a unique opportunity to re-enter the sport. He has made it a condition of his comeback that a competitive place is available, underlining his desire to be in the mix for podiums and victories, not just to make the numbers.

“The better the car, the better the team, the more exciting it is to have a chance to succeed,” Sebastian Vettel told Radio X in the UK.

“I follow the sport, I see what’s going on and that [a return] can be attractive and interesting, but it will depend on the whole package because it’s also a big commitment, with all the other things going on outside of the driving activity.”

“To think about it seriously, it would depend a lot on the package. Age-wise, I feel pretty damn young with all the guys still riding and signing big contracts, who have been around for a long time – I think I could be another ten years in this sport! So I’m ahead of them in terms of keeping fit.”

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Discussions with Mercedes confirmed

Sebastian Vettel recently admitted that he has had discussions with Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff, but the German insisted that these were not about a seat, despite Lewis Hamilton leaving the German outfit at the end of this year and a seat available for 2025.

“I had discussions with him, but not really about a seat. We talked about the situation in general,” Vettel told Sky Sports.

“But I’ve also spoken to other [teams], because I keep in touch from time to time. I have a few projects and ideas with F1. We’ll see whether they materialise or not.”

“So I stay in touch, but I don’t know. It will take a few more phone calls and conversations, I suppose, to find out a bit more. But for sure [at Mercedes] is one of the best packages on the grid.”

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Big decision considering family commitments

One of the reasons Vettel chose to retire in 2022 was to be able to spend more time with his children. A possible return to F1 would therefore take him back on the road throughout the year and away from his family – the four-time world champion admitting that this would be a factor to take into account.

“It’s a decision I’m taking for myself, but I’m also taking it for my family. The children have already said that they like the situation as it is now.

“So they wouldn’t be too keen on going back, but they said that without asking me, to be honest. Depending on the car, it will obviously be something we discuss together.”

Sebastian Vettel recently tested a Porsche 963 Hypercar at Motorland Aragon in Spain, but again the German has not revealed his plans with the German manufacturer and a possible participation in the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

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Audi lure Sebastian Vettel back to F1

According to a report from Sky Sports, this list of Mercedes candidates could be very interesting for Vettel. The British broadcaster speculates that a Sainz move to Mercedes could open the door to another team for the Heppenheimer – namely Sauber.

If indeed Vettel were to go to the German manufacturer, it would be very unlikely he would be fighting for podiums and wins straight off the bat, so a move would be contrary to his previous statements about driving winning cars only.

But it would be “tempting” for the team, which will officially compete under the Audi banner from 2026, to lure Vettel out of retirement. Although Sainz is the preferred candidate of the German manufacturer and team principal Andreas Seidl, if the Spaniard were to sign for Mercedes, another driving force would have to be found.

The fact that Audi will not officially take over the team until the 2026 season is only relevant on paper. They already have the power to decide on the driver. According to reports, Audi will be the only team to decide who will race in Sauber’s final year in 2025. The Bottas/Zhou pairing is widely expected to end after the 2024 season.

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What makes a Vettel comeback likely?

The case for a Vettel comeback with Sauber/Audi is not only based on the four-time world champion’s general interest in a return, but also on his close ties to the VW Group. The 36-year-old drives for Porsche in the WEC endurance series this season. The distance from Stuttgart to Ingolstadt under the Wolfsburg umbrella would be correspondingly short.

In addition, Audi would certainly welcome the commitment of a German driver. For this reason, Nico Hülkenberg was closely associated with the Ingolstadt team.

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Esteban Ocon’s current contract with Alpine expires at the end of the 2024 season. What happens next for the Frenchman is anyone’s guess. The current trend is clearly towards a farewell. The 27-year-old appears to have two possible destinations in mind…READ MORE ON THIS STORY