Mercedes are looking for a new driver to replace Lewis Hamilton in 2025, with the seven-time world champion deciding to join Ferrari at the end of the upcoming season.
Toto Wolff has revealed that he’s in regular dialogue with ex-Formula 1 star Sebastian Vettel – but not about driving for Mercedes.
Vettel retired in 2022 and remains one of the sport’s most successful drivers. The German is currently happy outside of the cockpit but after Lewis Hamilton’s shock decision to quit Mercedes at the end of 2024, when he’ll join rivals Ferrari, fans have speculated that Vettel, 36, could make a sensational return to F1.
Mercedes team principal Wolff is currently in contact with the four-time world champion, although his latest comments haven’t done much to fuel speculation. “I think he (Vettel) made the decision to not race anymore,” Wolff told AMUS. “We are talking on a regular basis. We’ve also talked yesterday (last Thursday), but it wasn’t about driving for us in the future.”
The possibility of Vettel making a comeback cannot be discarded, as he may choose to emulate previous champions like Nigel Mansell, Fernando Alonso, and Kimi Raikkonen who have made a U-turn and reclaimed their position behind the wheel.
When asked in September, the 36-year-old Vettel confessed to Sky Sports that he cannot definitively decline the idea of returning. I believe that if you were to ask each of them, it is likely that some may have declined.
There may be a few who I am uncertain about, but ultimately all of them returned, so I cannot disregard that possibility.
Some fans believe that Mick Schumacher, son of seven-time world champion Michael, deserves to work alongside George Russell at Mercedes after impressing as a reserve driver. There could also be a straight swap between Hamilton and Carlos Sainz, whose deal with Ferrari expires at the end of this year. That’s unlike teammate Charles Leclerc, who recently signed a new long-term contract.
Sainz had hoped to secure a new contract during the winter, but he will be joining a different team in 2025 due to Hamilton’s surprising announcement that has caused a stir in the motorsport world. In response to this development, the 29-year-old Spanish driver, who has been strongly associated with joining Audi as a driver in 2026, announced that he will be parting ways with Scuderia Ferrari at the conclusion of 2024.
“We have many more games to play in this season, and as always, I will put forth my utmost effort for both the team and the fans worldwide.”