Sebastian Vettel’s Potential Return to F1: Helmut Marko Weighs In on Audi’s Driver Lineup

Two German drivers are mentioned to be favourites for the Audi workforce proprietor to hitch Sauber’s Nico Hulkenberg subsequent season.

British newspaper The Solar experiences that Michael Schumacher’s son Mick Schumacher is taken into account the favorite, however Helmut Marko informed Austrian newspaper Osterreich this week that four-time world champion Sebastian Vettel has mentioned he desires to return to F1.

“Vettel has fitted in completely with Jonathan Wheatley at Crimson Bull prior to now, and likewise is aware of Mattia Binotto from his Ferrari days,” the paper reads.

One other apparent candidate is present Sauber driver Valtteri Bottas, who’s at the moment in California. Bottas posted a photograph of himself standing subsequent to an Audi R8 together with his race quantity 77 painted on it.

The Finnish driver had beforehand mentioned that Binotto’s arrival as boss might change the course of his 2025 contract negotiations.

“There will probably be a little bit of a reset within the negotiations as a result of earlier than we had been speaking with Andreas (Seidl) and Oliver (Hoffmann) and now there may be Mattia (Binotto). So for certain one thing will change. So we’ve to speak,” Bottas mentioned.

Fellow Finn and former F1 driver Mika Salo additionally believes Bottas, who was a part of the swap from Sauber to Audi, nonetheless has an opportunity of maintaining his seat.
“Once I moved to Toyota, there was nothing that already existed,” Salo informed Iltalehti. “It is not simple and within the center I used to be fired. I hope Valtteri can profit from that.”

“There are nonetheless rumors a couple of transfer to Alpine, however I do not see any cause to maneuver there,” Salo added. “It might be higher if he might proceed the place he’s already.”

“I met him in Hungary however I didn’t wish to ask him as a result of I knew he wouldn’t inform me something,” laughed the previous Sauber driver.

Class: System 1 / Sebastián Vettel / audio