Sebastian Vettel has admitted that a return to Formula 1 is unlikely, although he recognises that it can’t be “completely” ruled out.
The four-time World Champion retired from F1 at the end of 2022, in order to spend more time with his young family.
Vettel hasn’t completely turned his back on the sport since leaving, with him having made some demo run appearances using sustainable fuel.
His most recent appearance behind the wheel of an F1 car came at Red Bull’s event at the Nordschleife, where he became the first driver since Michael Schumacher to drive an F1 car round the iconic circuit.
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However, his most recent paddock appearance came at the Japanese Grand Prix, where he unveiled his ‘Buzzin Corner’ project.
Vettel unveiled a series of insect hotels on the inside of Turn 2 at Suzuka, to raise awareness for biodiversity.
Even though he no longer races, the German is still trying to spread awareness for biodiversity and climate change.
There are reports that he could be making an appearance in the World Endurance Championship for Jota’s Hypercar programme, alongside ex-F1 driver Robert Kubica and 2009 World Champion Jenson Button.
As for a return to F1 though, Vettel admits that he didn’t leave the sport simply to return straight away.
He’s enjoying life away from motorsport and is discovering the “bigger world” outside of F1, enabling him to learn more about himself.
“You can never completely rule out something like that, but at a certain point it’s just over,” Vettel said.
“My age is not the problem and it was completely my choice to draw the line. But I didn’t draw that line and then lift it again a year later.
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“I consider myself lucky that I can now spend time with my family and my children. That’s my priority right now.
“In recent years I have now been able to discover the bigger world. Formula 1, no matter how big it is, is therefore becoming smaller in comparison.”
Should Vettel return to F1 in the future, he’d likely only do so if offered a competitive package, although he has been linked to Audi’s 2026 entry.