“As much as there is life on track, there is my life off track too” – these had been Sebastian Vettel‘s parting words as he walked out of Formula 1. After a glorious career that saw him lift four World Championship trophies during an era of sheer dominance between 2010 and 2013, Vettel decided to retire from F1 at only 35. Thus, two years ago, when he bid adieu to the pinnacle of motorsports, he made it clear that he was doing it to focus solely on his family. But, as they say, racing is in Vettel’s blood and recently, he might be yearning for the thrill of driving above 200 kmph on the most difficult race tracks in the world.
Vettel has kept a low profile ever since his F1 exit in 2022. He did take part in the Race of Champions that year, but apart from that, he did not pursue a career in any other racing leagues. While rumors claimed that the ex-Red Bull star was courting a dozen offers from IndyCar and Formula E, nothing seemed to materialize out of them. But then came a shocking piece of information from RBR Chief Advisor Helmut Marko who said that Seb had approached his team several times for a seat. And while Marko’s army could not offer one to him, it seems like another opportunity for an F1 comeback is opening up for Sebastian Vettel right now.
One of Germany’s biggest car manufacturers, Audi, will make its F1 debut in 2026 by gaining full ownership of the existing Sauber team. Being one of the most prolific racers from Deutschland, Sebastian Vettel is often considered on the same level as Michael Schumacher. So, if Audi recruits Seb, it will be a formidable combination that will gain enormous support from the German fans. The team has already announced that one of its seats will go to Nico Hulkenberg, who shares the same ethnicity as Seb. If Audi goes for an all-German squad, then Vettel definitely fits the profile.
As per Formulapassion, Sebastian Vettel’s name has come up in the mix of potential recruits for Audi. As ex-Scuderia man Mattia Binotto has recently taken the lead at Audi with Jonathan Wheatley by his side, Seb’s chances of a comeback have increased infinitely. Binotto worked with Seb during their Ferrari days between 2015 and 2020 while Wheatley has seen Vettel capture four Championship titles at Red Bull. Hence, both these high-ranking Audi officials know Seb’s potential and might want him to work with them once again.
But you might still be wondering about Helmut Marko’s statement on Red Bull getting requests from Sebastian Vettel to allow his F1 comeback. So, what did Christian Horner’s army say to him at that time?
Helmut Marko claimed Red Bull rejected Sebastian Vettel for Verstappen
Red Bull is currently a playground for Max Verstappen’s brilliance. The Dutchman has already claimed three World Championships with the Austrian outfit and he is leading his fourth title bout right now. However, RBR could have paired Verstappen with another World Championship-winning driver if they accepted Vettel’s requests. Regarding this, Helmut Marko had said, “[Vettel] has also asked us again and again.” However, the return of Seb in Red Bull never became a reality.
Vettel has enjoyed, with Christian Horner‘s army, four years of unrivaled dominance in the Drivers’ Championship. However, the team has still not been okay with greeting the German when he came knocking on its doors after his retirement. But why? In response to this, Marko has said, “Next to Verstappen, I think that would not be a pleasant time for him [Sebastian Vettel].” Perhaps, the octagenarian thought that if Seb and Max formed a team, there would be a clash between them as both are ambitious Championship-winning racers.
