Sebastian Vettel retiring after 2022 season

[XcraigX]

Bottom post of the previous page:

Regarding Sebastian and his (potential) association with Porsche is not that hypocritical. Porsche is focusing on electrification of its vehicles, including new generation of fuels, all in line with Sebastian's philosophy. Whether he would return to the F1 is something I cannot say, because he usually smiles and says - depends... I think he likes to tease people a lot.

Agree completely. Plus, let's not forget that the WEC already operates with it's new sustainable fuel (since 2022):
https://www.fiawec.com/en/news/totalene ... a-wec/7286

[erwin greven]

Verstappen repeated at a press conference on Thursday that he was “very happy” at Red Bull and said he was not thinking about future moves. (Reporting by John Geddie)

Please note that "I am not thinking about it" is not the same as "I am staying for duration of the contract."

When i say the water is not cooking, i'm not saying it is cold. Yeah.

But it is what you want to hear. When i listen to all the Dutch insiders, Max is not going to leave RBR soon.
And when i listen to all the British insiders, he is almost there to sign a contract with Mercedes. At least that is what they dream of. Because it would weaken Red Bull Racing, which is their target anyway.

[Aty]

Verstappen repeated at a press conference on Thursday that he was “very happy” at Red Bull and said he was not thinking about future moves. (Reporting by John Geddie)

Please note that "I am not thinking about it" is not the same as "I am staying for duration of the contract."

When i say the water is not cooking, i'm not saying it is cold. Yeah.

But it is what you want to hear. When i listen to all the Dutch insiders, Max is not going to leave RBR soon.
And when i listen to all the British insiders, he is almost there to sign a contract with Mercedes. At least that is what they dream of. Because it would weaken Red Bull Racing, which is their target anyway.

I am not disputing anything you write. My opinion is merely influenced by several indicators which imply his decision to stay at RBR remains unconfirmed.

1. Toto deffered hiring decision, with Max's name being at the top of his list. I don't know if there is a deadline when Max has to speak up.
2. Max is being restricted at RBR what he can see from development or being told in meeetings. Reason - his potential departure.
3. AM is supposedly competing (financially, Honda, promises) with Mercedes who will sign him.

Max could end all of these speculations any time with mere confirmation to RBR he will see his contract to the end. I don't know why he hasn't done it already. Dr. Marko was quoted that he can confirm Max has an exit clause in his contract, but even if Max decide to leave, he (Helmut) will stay where he is.

More rumours here: (don't read it, if you don't care for it)
https://www.grandprix.com/news/marko-qu ... mours.html

Sorry, but that's all what I have. Is it possible Max will stay at RB? Sure, why not, but he needs to tell world what he has decided.

[erwin greven]

More rumours here: (don't read it, if you don't care for it)
https://www.grandprix.com/news/marko-qu ... mours.html

Sorry, but that's all what I have. Is it possible Max will stay at RB? Sure, why not, but he needs to tell world what he has decided.

No. I don't care.
Such a pity that i can not give you the link to the Dutch podcast. You would not understand Dutch anyway. But i follow rather Dutch insiders than all these sites, who have one main concern: getting as much clicks as possible.

Max already said what he has decided. But it seems that he has to do it every month.

[Aty]

Vettel comeback with Mercedes in 2025 a possibility, Wolff says

“We haven’t taken a decision yet and it’s not something we plan to do in the next few weeks. I know that the driver market is very dynamic; some of the really good guys are about to sign for some of the other teams, and we want to continue to have these discussions and keep the options open.

https://racer.com/2024/04/05/vettel-com ... olff-says/

That's a thought which counts. Should they select Sebastian, I would not accuse him from compromising his convictions. He would need a year to acquire his old self back next year, and after that, new era kicks in with increased environmental consideratios.

Q: Toto, you say it's too early, but have you whittled it down in your mind to one, two, three drivers? Have you got that far?

TW: Yes.

Q: Can you give us a number?

TW: No.

Permit me to have a go at it: Max, Carlos, Sebastian (Fernando - big maybe; he is too old for new era)

[erwin greven]

How would they look at it?
2025: Verstappen - Russell? What are they going to do with Antonelli?

Or do they want to do this:
2025: Verstappen - Antonelli? Another Hamilton - Rosberg situation. Do they want that? Don't think so.

[Star]

Toto is doing nothing to quell the rumours that Sebastian may return to F1, and he's obviously considering him for the seat at Mercedes with Russell as his teammate along with a whole bunch of others. Do I think it will happen? I'd like it to, but I'm not sure it will, then again this is F1, so who knows?

So it's seemingly clear that George Russell is staying at Mercedes for 2025 I'd say.

Toto Wolff has stated that he would “never discount” Sebastian Vettel amid reports linking the four-time world champion to a possible F1 comeback with Mercedes.

Having recently taken part in an endurance test with Porsche, Vettel acknowledged that he could potentially be interested in returning to Formula 1 as well as saying that he had been in “conversations” with Wolff, though added that this was “not really about the seat” that has become available at the team in 2025 after Lewis Hamilton’s decision to switch to Ferrari.

Hamilton has hailed the possibility of Vettel joining the Silver Arrows as an “amazing option” and, when asked ahead of the Japanese Grand Prix how realistic such a move could be, Wolff similarly spoke highly of the German driver.

“Seb I think is flirting with the idea of going racing again,” said the Mercedes team boss. “You can see he’s done a sportscar test with Porsche and has been enjoying it, and I think maybe there is the idea that came back of maybe coming back to Formula 1.

“Sebastian has been a good friend since a long time, I respect him as a driver a lot. Therefore it’s never a name you can discount and say ‘no it’s not for us’, it needs to be part of any discussions going forward.”

Vettel retired from Formula 1 at the end of the 2022 season after a 15-year career in the sport, in which he achieved four world championships, 53 race wins and 57 pole positions.

Reflecting on the comeback rumours further while speaking to the press, Wolff suggested that time away from the sport can sometimes be a positive, before reiterating that Mercedes intend to take more time in deciding who will join George Russell at the team in 2025.
SUZUKA, JAPAN - APRIL 05: Mercedes GP Executive Director Toto Wolff attends the Team Principals

Wolff is intending to take more time in deciding on which driver will join Mercedes in 2025

“Sometimes maybe taking a break is also good to reevaluate what’s important for you and to re-find your motivation,” Wolff commented. “As I said before, we haven’t taken the decision yet, and it’s not something we plan to do in the next few weeks.

“The driver market is very dynamic, some of the really good guys are about to sign for some of the other teams. We want to continue to have this discussion and keep the options open, but at that stage I think it’s much too early for us to commit to a driver, whether very young or very experienced – I don’t want to say old! The next few months will give us more clues.”

When asked if he has whittled the number of candidates down, Wolff responded: “Yes.” But when pushed further on whether he could reveal that figure, the Austrian added with a smile: “No!”

Full story: https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/arti ... DBITzCTuFb

[Star]

I posted the below in the thread about the fallen, but I'm posting it here as well in case people didn't see it. I hope I get to see it, I am guessing if it doesn't make it into the coverage I get, it will be on YouTube at some point.

[Everso Biggyballies]

No 2024 Le Mans race for Seb

2024 Le Mans 24 Hours entry list confirmed without Vettel

Sadly for those who want to see Seb in a race car again it wont be happening as many hoped at this years Le Mans......Seb Vettel is not among the 186 drivers who will compete in this year’s Le Mans 24 Hours.

The Automobile Club de l’Ouest which organises the Le Mans 24hour, the classic jewel round of the World Endurance Championship, has confirmed the list of competitors for next month’s race. No Vettel on the list, even as a reserve.

Seb tested a Porsche 963 Hypercar back in March in a full Factory test programme, prompting speculation he was considering an appearance in the race. Porsche has, as expected, added a third factory-run car for the La Sarthe event but it will be shared by Felipe Nasr, Nick Tandy and Mathieu Jaminet.

There are also three Porsche 963 Customer cars entered, 2 for Jota and one for Proton. Jenson Button will be driving in one of the Jota entries.

Maybe next year for Seb. .


Here is a list of the Porsche 963 s entered by the works and customer teams, along with the driivers.

Factory cars
4 Porsche Penske Porsche 963 Mathieu Jaminet Felipe Nasr Nick Tandy
5 Porsche Penske Porsche 963 Matt Campbell Michael Christensen Frederic Makowiecki
6 Porsche Penske Porsche 963 Kevin Estre Andre Lotterer Laurens Vanthoor

Customer cars
12 Jota Porsche 963 Will Stevens Norman Nato Callum Ilott
38 Jota Porsche 963 Oliver Rasmussen Philip Hanson Jenson Button
99 Proton Porsche 963 Neel Jani Harry Tincknell Julien Andlauer

[Aty]

This was actually known for a while that Seb will not participate. (I follow Porsche in other sources.)

[Star]

Even if he had raced I wouldn't have got to see it. As you say, maybe next year.

[Everso Biggyballies]

Door still open to Vettel for future Porsche Hypercar seat despite Le Mans snub

“The book is not closed” on Sebastian Vettel competing in Hypercar with Porsche in the future according to Porsche’s director of factory racing Urs Kuratle, following the recent decision by the German brand to leave the four-time Formula 1 world champion out of its driver line-up for Le Mans.

Speaking on Thursday at Spa-Francorchamps, Kuratle explained that “the situation was just not right” for Vettel to make his Le Mans debut next month. Vettel had been tipped to compete in the third factory Porsche at La Sarthe, following a recent 963 test at Motorland Aragon in which he completed 118 laps of the Spanish circuit.

Kuratle was light on specifics but confirmed that there had been discussions about a Le Mans drive for the 36-year-old German.

“It’s partly how you can prepare for it, and it didn’t come together,” Kuratle continued. “The time in the car would have been limited and there’s not much more with the test ban we have.

“I’m not blaming the test ban, but in the situation we are in, we are not able to have a third car here for example, to do things like we used to in the past.”

Looking ahead, however, Kuratle said Vettel “could be” part of the brand’s Hypercar/GTP effort in the future, though currently there are no concrete plans for him to test the 963 again.

“It would be stupid to close a book like this, from either side,” he said. “The book is not closed, but it’s also not defined how it continues, that’s all.

“It’s not because we don’t want to, or he doesn’t want to (test the 963 a second time), it’s simply because the discussions have not been done.”

With Vettel no longer in the frame, Porsche has opted to compete at Le Mans with an identical trio to last year in its third 963. From Porsche’s IMSA GTP stable, Mathieu Jaminet, Nick Tandy and Felipe Nasr are set to share the wheel of the No. 4 car, which will race alongside the two full-season FIA WEC entries run by Penske.

https://racer.com/2024/05/09/door-still ... mans-snub/