Schumacher reveals Vettel F1 team-mate wish

Ewan Gale
Thursday 22 December 2022 08:50

Mick Schumacher has revealed his wish for Sebastian Vettel to return to F1 as his team-mate.

The four-time champion retired at the end of the season after a stellar 16-year career that included 53 victories and 122 podiums.

Vettel's last race in Abu Dhabi had a sense of finality surrounding it, in contrast to Fernando Alonso's 'see you later' feel in 2018.

The German had taken Schumacher under his wing across the former Haas driver's two-year stint in the sport, assisting his development as much as possible whilst still competing with his compatriot.

This was after Vettel was himself nurtured in F1 by Schumacher's seven-time championship-winning father, Michael.

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Schumacher will take on the reserve role at Mercedes next year with a view to returning to the grid thereafter.

But with Vettel out of the sport, speaking in an end-of-season interview with GPFans, the 23-year-old said: “The good thing is even though I may be standing on my own two feet, I know that I always can seek comfort and I know that Seb is only a phone call away."

Highlighting previous instances of drivers returning after retiring, including his father who made a return with Mercedes in 2010 following three years on the sidelines, Schumacher added: “We've seen in the past that it doesn't mean that you're retired today, that you won't be back in three years. My dad did it.

“I’m sure maybe Sebastian, once he gets bored, might think about it as well.

“Hopefully, it'll be as my team-mate.”

Additional reporting by Ewan Gale