Helmut Marko reveals Sebastian Vettel in a place ‘without phones or planes’ after F1 retirement
Helmut Marko has ruled out the possibility of Sebastian Vettel returning to F1 after rumors of him joining Audi in 2026 made the rounds.
Helmut Marko Sebastian Vettel (images via IMAGO)
Former F1 driver Sebastian Vettel is rumored to return to F1 in 2026 when Audi makes its debut when the sport embraces new regulations. The team has announced Mattia Binotto as their project head and former Red Bull man Jonathan Wheatley as team principal. Speculation suggests that Vettel could partner with Nico Hulkenberg.
After retiring at the end of 2022, the German appears eager to make a comeback in F1. However, Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko no longer thinks the 37-year-old could make a comeback. Sebastian Vettel had expressed openness to the idea of returning to Formula 1, acknowledging the excitement surrounding significant regulatory changes coming in 2026
However, Vettel noted that a return might be impossible due to his responsibilities at home with his three children, which makes prioritizing F1 difficult. Helmut Marko also mentioned that he hasn’t been in contact with Vettel for a long time.
I have had no contact with him for a while. He is in an area without mobile phones or where planes go, somewhere in the north.
Helmut Marko told GPblog.com
Vettel’s family responsibilities may prevent him from returning to F1. However, Marko believes the German has been away from the sport for too long, and many fast young drivers are now competing. Despite his experience, the 81-year-old claimed the competition has changed significantly since Vettel’s racing days, making his return doubtful.
He has been out of the sport for too long and there are now very many, very fast youngsters.
Helmut Marko added
Helmut Marko asserts retaining Max Verstappen is more important than winning the championship
Red Bull aims to win the Constructors’ Championship this year, even though they recently lost the lead and now trail McLaren by 41 points. If the Milton Keynes-based team fails to build a competitive car for 2025, Max Verstappen might consider moving to greener pastures.
Verstappen’s contract includes an exit clause that allows him to depart if Red Bull’s performance consistently declines. Therefore, Helmut Marko stressed the importance of improving their car to ensure the Dutchman remains with the team.
But it is clear, together we have to make sure that the World Championship can be won this year and we also build a fast car for next year. But the most important thing is that we can keep Max Verstappen.
Helmut Marko told NewsWeek.com
Red Bull has time to make improvements to the car before the next race. Recent races leading up to Singapore revealed the car’s struggle to perform. However, following a second-place finish in Singapore, Red Bull claims to be on the right track, although they still lack pace. The next 3 weeks will be crucial for the team to address these performance issues.
Gaurang Kadam
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