Four-time Formula 1 world champion Sebastian Vettel has hinted he could make a return to the sport following talks with Mercedes team principle Toto Wolff.

Mercedes are hunting for a new driver after
Lewis Hamilton announced in February
he was leaving the Silver Arrows for Ferrari following 11 years with the team.

The German driver won his four world championship titles with Red Bull from 2010-13. He
retired from Formula 1 at the end of the 2022 season
after six years at Ferrari and two with Aston Martin.

The 36-year-old has hinted at a return to Grand Prix racing following talks with Wolff and several other team bosses.

“I am speaking to Toto. I don’t know if that qualifies as Mercedes, but about other things,” Vettel told Sky Sports News.

“I’m talking to a lot of people because I know them, but not very specific. I mean obviously it does cross my mind, I do think about it, but it’s not the main thought,” the 36-year-old German added.

“I have three kids at home, it’s busy every day, so there’s a lot of other thoughts I have. There’s ideas that I have.

“Events that I’m planning going forwards, so I did speak to a lot of other team principals as well, and not only about racing. There’s thoughts, but nothing concrete at the minute.”

Vettel said he was surprised by Hamilton’s decision to leave Mercedes for Ferrari after winning six titles.

“I was surprised, like I guess most of us were,” he said.

“But it is exciting. Obviously he’s looking for a new challenge and it will be different to see him in red, in a different colour.”

Vettel, meanwhile, has been test-driving the Porsche car scheduled to compete in this year’s Le Mans 24 Hours.

“Maybe, I don’t know yet,” he replied when asked if he could make his first appearance in the celebrated endurance race this year.

“I’ve been testing. I was curious, so I wanted to see how it feels. It’s obviously a different discipline. It’s still racing, but it’s a different car, different discipline.

“I am (tempted) and I’m not. I am obviously also looking for lots of other things and there’s lots of other things that do interest me outside of racing.”

Hamilton says Vettel would be ‘amazing option’ for Mercedes

Hamilton said he would love to see Vettel return and described him as an “amazing option” for Mercedes.

Hamilton gave Vettel his seal of approval, telling reporters ahead of this weekend’s Japanese Grand Prix that he would “love for Seb to come back”.

“I think he would be an amazing option for the team,” said Hamilton.

“A German driver, multi-world championship-winning driver, and someone who has got amazing values who can continue to take this team forward. I’d love it if he came back.”

Vettel’s return was also given the thumbs-up by George Russell, who will remain at Mercedes.

“Sebastian is a great person and he’s a four-time world champion,” said Russell.

“For sure his personality is missed on the grid and I think it’s important that we have the best 20 drivers in the world all competing for race wins and championships.”

Russell added he was “really happy and open to have anybody” as a team-mate.

“Whether it’s a world champion, whether it’s a rookie, it doesn’t change how I go about my business,” he said.

Hamilton said he had given “generally zero” thought to who his successor might be.

“I think the only thing I really care about is that the team takes on someone with integrity, with values that align with the team and where the team is going,” he said.

“Someone with compassion to work with all these great people and continue to lift them up.”

Hamilton admitted that he doesn’t “know how to navigate” his move to Ferrari, with almost a full season still to go.

But he assured Mercedes that he is committed to finishing on a high.

“All my energy is going into this,” he said.

“Of course there’s excitement for the future. Right now we’re going through a difficult phase, that’s my challenge.”

(with inputs from AFP)