Red Bull advisor Dr Helmut Marko has tipped Sebastian Vettel to return to Formula 1 in a “top management position”, following his retirement from the sport at the end of 2022.
Vettel’s retirement saw an era of F1 come closer to an end, with the German having made his debut in the sport the same year as Lewis Hamilton.
Once Hamilton and Fernando Alonso have retired, there will be no drivers left on the grid to have competed in the noughties; however, the duo are set to remain in the sport for a couple more years yet.
By the time they get close to their retirement, Vettel might have returned to the sport in a management position, with Marko having “had a conversation” with Vettel about making a comeback to the sport in a non-driver role.
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“It is not impossible that he will come back for a top management position,” Marko told Sky Deutschland.
“We had a conversation and if he could get a position like that, it could appeal to him. That became clear during the conversation. He certainly has the potential and the personality for it, but for now let’s let him plant a few trees.”
The four-time World Champion has been hailed by Red Bull boss Christian Horner, Aston Martin team principal Mike Krack and former Ferrari boss Mattia Binotto has someone who would suit a management position, with Horner going as far as saying that Vettel is someone who’s “annoyingly good at anything”.
“I mean, he’s a great people person,” Horner said.
“He understands the value of people and the contribution that they make to success. And I think he’s turned into somewhat of a driver counsellor in the last couple of years as well.
“So it really depends on what he wishes to apply himself to. He’s one of those guys that’s annoyingly good at anything he chooses to do. So I’m sure if he chose that path he would be very good at it.”
Vettel himself expects to return to the sport in the future, with the German having admitted that he will “be back at some point”.
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The 53-time race winner is unsure yet of when he’ll return or what he’ll do, given how “weird” it’ll be to be at a race in a non-driving position.
“I’m sure I’ll be back at some point to have a look,” Vettel said at the Autosports Awards.
“I love the sport, I love the people. It will be probably a difficult or weird moment to be there live and not participate. But I guess it’s coming. So yeah, I don’t know. I have no plans yet. But I’m sure it will be somewhere, sometime.”