Sebastian Vettel bowed out of Formula 1 with a Q3 appearance and a point scoring finish in Abu Dhabi, leading fans to believe that the time is not yet right for the German to retire.
Vettel picked up the Driver of the Day award three times over the course of the 2022 season and while he has admitted that he enjoyed his final races with Aston Martin, he has confirmed that he has no plans to return to the sport in the near future.
Fernando Alonso will be taking the German’s seat at Aston Martin in 2022 after two years with Alpine and has issued the Vettel with some advice, having initially retired himself at the end of the 2018 season.
The Spaniard had grown frustrated with the direction he perceived Formula 1 as going in and decided to depart McLaren ahead of the 2019 season, taking part in IndyCar as an alternative fix for his motorsport cravings.
READ: Ex-Mercedes engineer admits he felt ‘sorry’ for Michael Masi
Alonso was back in Formula 1 however in 2021, as the 41-year-old joined Alpine to race alongside Esteban Ocon and has told Vettel that it took him longer than expected to get back up to speed in F1.
“Coming back to the sport is never a guarantee that you will be okay and competitive and you will still enjoy everything in Formula 1,” explained Alonso.
“So I had some concerns, obviously, two years ago, when I did the demo [in Abu Dhabi] before the young driver test in 2020. Last year I was maybe not 100 percent happy with the performance and with how the season went.
“This year, I’m much happier with the car and with the performance itself and much more ready for the next challenge.
READ: Oscar Piastri signs super licence while sporting $335,000 watch
“So you cannot underestimate coming back to the sport – in case Seb wants some advice.
“But you need a few races, or even one full season to feel 100 percent again. It is what happened to me but I’m happy now that I feel at a very good level.”
Vettel has admitted that while he hopes that the next chapter of his life will not see him return to Formula 1, the 35-year-old has suggested that a return to the grid is not off the cars, as he does not know how he will be coping without the sport after a couple of years away.