Sebastian Vettel F1 RETURN verdict given as NEW team option emerges

Sebastian Vettel

Sebastian Vettel F1 RETURN verdict given as NEW team option emerges

Sebastian Vettel retired from F1 in 2022

By Sheona Mountford.

Sunday 16 February 2025 00:00

Four-time world champion Sebastian Vettel has been tipped for a stunning comeback with a new team set to hit the grid in 2026.

Vettel left the sport in 2022, but ever since, there has been plenty of calls for and speculation that he could potentially make a return someday.

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These rumors intensified when a seat became vacant at Mercedes, for example, and with German manufacturer Audi preparing to join F1 in 2026.

Audi will complete their full takeover of Sauber next year, as the manufacturer expands their operations to the UK with a reported engineering hub in ‘motorsport valley’, alongside a Swiss base at Hinwil, and a power unit operation in Neuburg.

Sebastian Vettel retired from F1 in 2022

Vettel voted for shock Audi F1 return

F1 fans voted overwhelmingly for an Audi comeback, with 56% of the audience selecting the incoming team for Vettel’s return.

Red Bull were the second most popular option, receiving 18% of the vote, with some fans hoping for a return to the team where the German won all four of his world titles.

Only 12% of voters wanted Vettel to join Mercedes, whilst a return to Aston Martin, Haas or Alpine garnered five percent or less of the vote.

Few readers also voted for the new Cadillac team, which will arrive in 2026, with six percent of fans seeing the American team as an option for the champion.

Mercedes McLaren Daniel Ricciardo F1 Sebastian Vettel