Vettel confirms his Formula 1 racing career is over

Sebastian Vettel has made it clear that his days as a Formula 1 driver are officially behind him.

Although his name has been mentioned more recently in connection with a possible off-track role, such as replacing Dr Helmut Marko at Red Bull, talk of a racing comeback has lingered ever since his retirement at the end of 2022.

The 38-year-old has now told Auto Motor und Sport that while a return to racing isn’t completely out of the question, it won’t be in Formula 1.

"I don't want to rule out the possibility that something might come of it," said the German, referring to endurance racing.

"There have been discussions, but somehow it hasn't worked out yet. But the right constellation at the right time, the right partnership, the right outlook."

Vettel says the door to a competitive return remains open, just not in the world of F1. "To be honest, I wasn't that interested in endurance racing from my lone fighter perspective," said the former Red Bull, Ferrari and Aston Martin driver.

"I see it differently now. I find it incredibly exciting, the team structure, sharing a car, making compromises."

He also noted that the WEC's lighter calendar would better suit his new priorities as a full-time family man.

"In motorsport, it's difficult to say 'I'll only do half the races'. The WEC would actually be a good fit with its eight races, which are also structured differently than Formula 1."

Still, as far as Formula 1 is concerned, Vettel has made peace with his decision.

"It's always a question of how intensively you want to do something," he said. "For me, it's always been the case that when I commit to something, I want to do it properly. Just going along for the ride isn't for me.

"Formula 1 is over," he declared. "At some point, the time is right to leave the field to others. You can see that especially with the rookies. I think it's good that a whole group of drivers has been replaced.

"This isn't a vote against the old drivers, but rather for the young drivers," Vettel added. "I didn't care in the past which of the established drivers was no longer racing. The main thing is that I get to drive."