LONDON: Four-time world champion Sebastian Vettel has suggested he could return to Formula One following talks with Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff.
Mercedes are in search of a new driver after Lewis Hamilton announced in February he was leaving the team for Ferrari following 11 years with the Silver Arrows.
Vettel won his four world championship titles with Red Bull from 2010-13. He retired from Formula One at the end of the 2022 season after six years at Ferrari and two with Aston Martin.
But he has now hinted at a return to Grand Prix racing following talks with Wolff and several other team bosses.
“I am speaking to Toto. I don’t know if that qualifies as Mercedes, but about other things,” Vettel told Sky Sports News on Wednesday.
“I’m talking to a lot of people because I know them, but not very specific. I mean obviously it does cross my mind, I do think about it, but it’s not the main thought,” the 36-year-old German added.
“I have three kids at home, it’s busy every day, so there’s a lot of other thoughts I have. There’s ideas that I have.
“Events that I’m planning going forward, so I did speak to a lot of other team principals as well, and not only about racing. There’s thoughts, but nothing concrete at the minute.”
Vettel said he was taken aback by Hamilton’s decision to leave Mercedes for Ferrari after winning six world championships with the German giants.
“I was surprised, like I guess most of us were,” he said.
“But it is exciting. Obviously he’s looking for a new challenge and it will be different to see him in red, in a different color.”
Vettel, meanwhile, has been test-driving the Porsche car scheduled to compete in this year’s Le Mans 24 Hours.
“Maybe, I don’t know yet,” he replied when asked if he could make his first appearance in the celebrated endurance race this year.
“I’ve been testing. I was curious, so I wanted to see how it feels. It’s obviously a different discipline. It’s still racing, but it’s a different car, different discipline.
“I am (tempted) and I’m not. I am obviously also looking for lots of other things and there’s lots of other things that do interest me outside of racing.”
Vettel hints at Formula One return after talks with Mercedes boss
https://arab.news/6rd3y
Vettel hints at Formula One return after talks with Mercedes boss
- Vettel won his four world championship titles with Red Bull from 2010-13
- “I am speaking to Toto. I don’t know if that qualifies as Mercedes, but about other things,” Vettel told Sky Sports News on Wednesday
Preparations intensify for the Hail Toyota International Baja
- Lineup underscores the rally’s growing stature on the regional and global motorsport calendar
- Route passes through the Great Nafud Desert, one of the region’s most distinctive natural landscapes
HAIL: With just seven days remaining until the start, attention across the motorsport and rally community is turning to Hail, as preparations intensify for the Hail Toyota International Baja, scheduled to take place from Jan 28–31.
The rally is organized by the Saudi Automobile and Motorcycle Federation, under the supervision of the Ministry of Sport, in cooperation with the Hail Region Emirate and the Hail Region Development Authority. Jameel Motorsport is the official partner, alongside the Saudi Motorsport Marshals Club.
This year’s edition brings together a strong slate of international and regional championships, including the FIA World Baja Cup, the FIA Middle East Baja Cup, the FIM World Baja Cup and the FIM Asia Baja Cup, in addition to the opening round of the Saudi Toyota Baja Championship. The lineup underscores the rally’s growing stature on the regional and global motorsport calendar.
Competitors will face demanding conditions, with the rally staged amid Hail’s cold winter climate and across varied terrain. The route passes through the Great Nafud Desert, one of the region’s most distinctive natural landscapes, known for its towering dunes, expansive golden sands and technically challenging tracks that demand high levels of driving skill and navigational precision.
The rally program features broad participation across multiple categories and consists of three competitive stages. Action begins with a prologue covering 35 kilometers, including a 6-kilometer timed special stage. This is followed by the first stage spanning 417 kilometers, with 245 kilometers against the clock, before the second and final stage over 323 kilometers, including a 151-kilometer timed section.
Alongside the sporting action, the 2026 Hail Toyota International Baja will offer a comprehensive program of accompanying activities, providing an integrated experience for visitors and residents alike. The program combines sport, entertainment and community engagement, contributing to increased tourism and economic activity in the Hail region.
