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‘I’m still fit enough': Sebastian Vettel opens door to F1 return

Sheona Mountford Sunday 22 February 2026 21:09

Sebastian Vettel has left the door ajar for an F1 return after delivering a surprising admission about his capabilities to get back into racing.

Since his retirement from F1 at the end of the 2022 season, Vettel has discarded professional racing in favour of environmental projects and a return to school, where he embarked on agricultural training.

In 2024, the champion did briefly return to the cockpit to test Porsche Penske Motorsport's 963 hypercar, but thus far has made no serious attempt to compete in sportscars.

At the age of 38, Vettel is by no means past a return to racing, with colleagues Lewis Hamilton and Fernando Alonso racing well into their 40s, and the German icon has recently addressed his chances of returning to an F1 car.

Will Vettel make a racing comeback?

In a recent appearance on ServusTV's ‘Sport und Talk Spezial’ programme, Vettel said: “I would get back in for one more drive, and I'm still fit enough to do so. But I've been out of it for too long to do a whole season.”

F1 is not the only category Vettel has floated a return to, teasing a future 24 Hours of Le Mans team-up with fellow four-time champion Max Verstappen.

He told Sky Sports Germany: "I am also in regular contact with Max, and we talked a few years ago about how, if the opportunity arises, we would drive Le Mans together."

When Verstappen was asked about teaming up with Vettel in Bahrain, the Dutchman answered: "It's a bit difficult to say at the moment when this can happen. But I mean, I heard Fernando's going to be racing until he's 75 anyway. So I'm sure we'll find a time and a year to race all together."

F1 Sebastian Vettel