Sebastian Vettel stated that he spoke with Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff, but there have been no "concrete negotiations" for a return yet.
Many F1 pilots have been mentioned for Mercedes, which is looking for Lewis Hamilton's successor for the 2025 season, but the name of four-time F1 champion Sebastian Vettel was also heard in the paddock for a short time.
Vettel, who left F1 after 2022, stated that he was in contact with Toto Wolff.
Speaking to Sky Sports Germany, Vettel confirmed that he met with Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff and continued: "We talked, but we did not talk concretely about the future."
"We had a phone conversation. We talked about the fact that there was something going on at Mercedes, but we didn't specifically talk about me replacing him (Lewis)."
“I am still in contact with people who have either directly or indirectly guided me over the years or are involved in the F1 world.”
“We are in constant communication, whether things are going well or badly.”
“Luckily, I know a lot of people and if I have something I'm curious about, I can ask them directly.”
Vettel, who moved from Red Bull Racing to Ferrari in 2015, also found Hamilton's move a bit unexpected.
"At first I thought it wasn't true, but it turned out that it was. Personally, I'm very happy for Lewis. I sent him a message right after the deal. We're still in touch."
"I've also been in contact with others and Toto, but we haven't talked specifically about what might happen in the future."
"I think he will cope with racing at Ferrari, but moving to a new team is not easy, especially at the beginning.
"A lot of the familiar faces you've known for many years are no longer there. You have to get used to the new environment, but you'll get over it."
Asked whether anything had changed in his decision to retire after the tests with Porsche, Vettel said: "I said then that I did not know what to expect and that it was best for me to leave."
"I don't know if that's going to be the next step. I don't feel like it right now."
"I'm not the latest in terms of age anymore, but if you look at the others, theoretically I have plenty of time, so this is not the first obstacle in front of me."
"I'm still interested in Formula 1 and follow the races. There's a lot going on at the moment, both on and off the track."
"But Formula 1 is not a problem for me at the moment."
"I said back then that when I quit the sport, you never know if you'll come back or not. But it wasn't my intention to quit and then start again. I'm not there yet. But I still can't rule it out. Who knows what the future will bring?"
"I really enjoyed my time with the kids. Maybe my mood will change again, but things are going very well right now."
"Of course the Porsche test was fun. I was curious about how a car like this works and it was exciting to see it. Of course it was a little different from the Formula 1 car and after a year and a half maybe I was a little rusty!"
"Of course there are some things I miss. I think the last few days behind the wheel have shown that. But there are also things I don't miss."
According to Bild, Vettel's return seems unlikely unless he receives an attractive offer.
Source and Text: motorsport.com
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