Is there a Vettel Hammer in the new German team?
Just over a week before the end of the summer break, the Formula 1 rumor mill is bubbling with the hottest news coming from Austria - from Red Bull Motorsport boss Dr. Helmut Marko, who is fueling speculation about Sebastian Vettel's imminent return.
Only in May, German Formula 1 legend Sebastian Vettel - who won four consecutive drivers' titles with Red Bull from 2010 to 2013 - made a comeback in the motorsport's premier class. On the occasion of the 30th anniversary of his idol Ayrton Senna's death, the 37-year-old got to drive Senna's old McLaren around the Imola circuit in Emilia-Romagna, creating emotional images.
Following this display in honor of the late Senna, rumors are growing that Vettel could indeed return as a full-time driver in Formula 1. None other than Dr. Helmut Marko, who has been a close confidant of Vettel's for nearly two decades, has confirmed the four-time world champion's ambitions. The 81-year-old told the Austrian news portal "oe24" that Vettel is aiming for a comeback around a year and a half after retiring from Formula 1.
While there may not be a place for the 53-time Grand Prix winner at Red Bull or Mercedes, another team could be actively pursuing a collaboration with Vettel. According to "oe24," newcomer Audi could be the perfect match for the German motorsport star, who already raced in Formula 1 from 2007 to 2022. Audi is already pulling many strings behind the scenes and will enter as its own works team from 2026.
For its F1 engagement, Audi has recently secured Mattia Binotto as CEO and Jonathan Wheatley as team principal. Both have a long and successful history working with Vettel. Binotto served as Ferrari's technical director and later team principal during Vettel's years at the Scuderia from 2015 to 2020. Wheatley was Red Bull's sporting director throughout Vettel's time there, and will leave the Austrian-British constructor at the end of 2024 after 18 years to join Audi.
The speculation about Vettel's comeback gains additional momentum as Audi has yet to present a second full-time driver for the coming years. Nico Hülkenberg has already been confirmed as the new driver for 2025. The second Sauber or Audi cockpit for 2025 and beyond is still undecided. The contracts of the current full-time drivers at Sauber, Valtteri Bottas and Zhou Guanyu, are both set to expire at the end of the current Formula 1 season.
After Dr. Helmut Marko's remarks about Vettel's potential return, excitement surrounding a full-time Formula 1 comeback for the four-time champion is growing. If a return materializes, Audi, with its strong ties to Vettel and plans to enter Formula 1 as a works team in 2026, could be an ideal destination for the German motorsport star.
