Red Bull chief confirms Sebastian Vettel 'ideal' replacement at F1 team

F1 legend Sebastian Vettel has been dubbed as the ideal replacement for Helmut Marko at Red Bull...by the man himself!

Vettel carved out a fine career in the sport over his 16-year career, winning four world drivers' championships, 53 grands prix, and securing 122 podium finishes.

The German driver drove for the likes of Toro Rosso, Ferrari, and Aston Martin, but his most successful period was undoubtedly with Red Bull, where he won four consecutive titles between 2010 and 2013.

After his stint alongside Lance Stroll at Aston Martin, Vettel announced his retirement from F1 in 2022, citing his wish to focus on his environmental efforts away from the track as just one of the reasons for his exit.

However, despite this, the 37-year-old has been tipped for a return to not just the sport in general but specifically the Red Bull ranks, with the team's F1 advisor Marko confirming that he remains the number-one candidate to replace him in his role.

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Will Sebastian Vettel return to Red Bull one day?

Much about Red Bull's future remains uncertain, and 2026 looks to be a pivotal year for the Milton Keynes-based squad.

There are, of course, the new regulations for the team to grapple with, notably without the help of F1 design guru Adrian Newey, who has now completed his move to Aston Martin.

On top of the new rules set to sweep the sport, star driver Max Verstappen could also leave the team should he opt to initiate any of the exit clauses that are reportedly included in his current Red Bull contract.

The Dutchman, also a four-time champion, is currently bound to a contract to drive for Red Bull until the end of 2028, but regardless of his decision on where to race in the future, the team actually faces losing potentially Marko before their number one driver.

According to sport.de, the 82-year-old plans to continue working as Red Bull's motorsport advisor until 2026, with the Austrian suggesting Vettel would be his preferred replacement.

In a recent interview with ServusTV, Marko was quoted, admitting: "There are no talks that have gone into detail," although it was confirmed that he viewed Vettel as an ‘ideal candidate’.

The latest report did, however, confirm that the four-time champion is not the only name on Red Bull's list, but Marko's support would no doubt carry a lot of weight should Vettel be interested in the position.

It appears as though the former F1 star has time on his hands should he decide to take the offer seriously, with Marko stating: "I'm still relatively fit at the moment... so that's not quite so topical."

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