Retirement may be just around the corner for four-time world champion Sebastian Vettel. That's the opinion of Dr. Helmut Marko, head of Red Bull's notorious junior driver program that has spurred the 35-year-old's Formula 1 success.
Retirement may be just around the corner for four-time world champion Sebastian Vettel. That's the opinion of Dr. Helmut Marko, head of Red Bull's notorious junior driver program that has propelled the 35-year-old's Formula 1 success.
After Red Bull, Vettel struggled to match that success at Ferrari and especially now at Aston Martin, which is struggling with the 2022 green car. "If he doesn't see any light at the end of this tunnel, I assume he will retire," Marko told German TV broadcaster RTL in Austria.
The 79-year-old Austrian said Vettel's 2022 car is "slow from the start," although the B version of the single-seater has been dubbed the "green Red Bull." "A lot will depend on how the team develops the car," Marko explained, agreeing that the B version bears a "great resemblance" to current championship-leading Red Bull.
"If they can also copy what's under the hood, then it will have a relatively competitive package," he added. "And if he has that, I think it will continue."
Vettel told Sport1 at the Red Bull Ring that he will think about a 2023 contract "in the next few weeks." "It also depends on the direction in which the car is developing and how much potential I see in the team," the German commented. "I have emphasized several times that I want to fight not only for points, but also for wins, otherwise the fun is lost."
"So in the coming weeks, together with my family, I have to make clear how realistic my goals are and how much energy I still feel in me to keep growing together with the team," Vettel continued.
When asked if a change of team could happen, he replied: "I'm not thinking about that at the moment. Aston Martin is my first point of contact and the project I want to move forward with.