Sebastian Vettel played a crucial role in Red Bull’s transformation from a team known for its partying to a dominant force in Formula 1. Christian Horner’s decision to sign Vettel proved to be one of his wisest moves, as Vettel secured four consecutive world titles for Red Bull Racing in the late 2000s.
However, recent comments from Helmut Marko suggest that Vettel is keen on making an F1 comeback and has approached team management multiple times. Despite being one of the greatest motorsport drivers, Vettel’s return to F1 remains uncertain.
‘It’s Tough To Drive Alongside Verstappen,’ Says Helmut Marko
Sebastian Vettel is one of the most skilled F1 drivers in history. The German Marque won four consecutive world championships for Red Bull, announcing the arrival of the Milton Keynes-based team. Vettel was the youngest racer (21 years and 74 days) to take pole position. He eventually became the youngest driver to win a Grand Prix. Furthermore, Vettel won four world championships between 2010 and 2013. During that time, the competition was at its pinnacle, with drivers such as Hamilton, Raikkonen, Alonso, and Schumacher competing. The German drivers guided the Red Bull F1 vehicle to four consecutive wins. While his dominant run had been nothing short of a fairytale, the fantasy ended in 2014. He didn’t win a single race all season. However, he switched to Scuderia and performed superbly, giving Hamilton stiff competition. He later chose to call it quits following a successful F1 career. Thus, in the middle of the 2022 season, he announced his retirement.
After two years, speculations about Vettel’s F1 return have surfaced. Helmut Makro recently stated that the former world champion is thinking about a possible return to the sport with its former team. During an interview with Formula1.de, Marko suggested Vettel continue to inquire about a position at Red Bull. However, Marko believes that racing alongside an in-form driver like Verstappen may be ‘unpleasant.’ Furthermore, he recommended Vettel to pursue long-distance racing with Porsche. When the media approached the 36-year-old driver about a possible F1 comeback, he rejected it. He hinted that there are no plans for a comeback. Thus, the two veterans’ different remarks generated mystery.
Red Bull’s Search for Recovery: No Quick Fix in Sight
Ferrari and McLaren have opened the battlefield for the world title. The two Red Bull rivals have made recent gains, increasing the competition. Moreover, the Milton Keynes-based outfit has lost the lead recently.
However, Christian Horner believes the recovery doesn’t have any ‘silver bullets.’ The Red Bull team was poised to clinch the fourth consecutive title, looking unstoppable. However, the chasing packs have closed in on the gap, aggravating RBR’s worries.
