According to Formula 1 reporter Sam Cooper, retired four-time World Champion Sebastian Vettel “has not yet decided” if he will continue as director of the Grand Prix Drivers’ Association, with the German having been given additional time to make a decision.
Should Vettel decide to step-down from the role, then a vote will take place at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix in April to determine who his replacement will be.
The 53-time race winner has been given until the start of the forthcoming season to make his decision; however, some of the drivers have expressed their hope that the 35-year-old will decide to continue in the role
“Maybe we’ll see if he wants to continue – certainly he’s done a good job,” said Daniel Ricciardo.
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“Seb is a guy that a lot of the time just says it as it is – that’s not in aggressive way, he’s just very honest and direct. On topics like safety we don’t need to beat around the bush. So, I think his character is really good for that position.”
Valtteri Bottas added that it would be “quite hard to replace” the remarkable driver, whilst Frenchman Esteban Ocon hailed Vettel as a “great ambassador of all drivers”.
Vettel is currently one of three directors of the GDPA, with Mercedes star George Russell and lawyer Anastasia Fowle being the other two, whilst ex-F1 driver Alexander Wurz has been chairman since 2014.
A director of the GDPA doesn’t have to be an active racing driver, as proven by Wurz and Fowle, something that does open the door to Vettel remaining somewhat connected to the pinnacle of motorsport and the decisions that are made.
The former Red Bull driver has actually been linked to a future managerial role at the Austrian team as well, with the Constructors’ Champions seemingly prepared to welcome back their greatest driver of all-time with open arms.
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Advisor Dr Helmut Marko has warned Vettel, though, that he needs to “find himself first” before considering a future managerial position, something that could also be linked to whether he remains as a director of the GDPA, or not.
“I think he has to find himself first and see what he wants exactly,” Marko said.
“If he were to have a managerial position, that would involve just as much effort and travel as he has already been doing.”