Munich

Formula 1 legend Sebastian Vettel has admitted that he 'flirted' with the idea of making a comeback to the grid but stopped short of going forward with the idea due to commitments to his family. 

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Fans have been hoping that the four-time champion returns to F1 once again. He is still only 36 and younger than both Lewis Hamilton and Fernando Alonso who are going strong on the circuit.

"Of course, you think about it and flirt with it. Sometimes it's the case that [one of my children] says, 'Dad, don't do that, then you'll be gone so much'," Vettel told German broadcaster RTL. 

"I really enjoyed the last year-and-a-half and also really enjoyed the time with the children, hopefully, the children did too. Maybe the mood will change again, but things are still going very well at the moment," added Vettel.

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The German said the addition of two more races to the already packed racing calendar had made his decision to return difficult.  

"There are also 24 races and beyond that, I know from my time how I would like to structure my job if I decided to do it. I don't think it's objectionable that there are other interests in my life. Not just people and relationships, but also other things that interest and motivate me."

Vettel's conversation with Wolff

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Notably, this is not the first instance when Vettel has 'flirted' with the idea of a comeback. He had expressed surprise about Hamilton's move to Ferrari, whilst adding that he was indeed in conversation with Mercedes team principal Toto Wolf.  

“I was surprised by this change. The Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff didn’t call me, but we briefly exchanged text messages," said Vettel. 

"But so far it’s not an issue for me, also because at 36 I still have all the time in the world. So it’s not going away."

Also read | Mercedes boss Toto Wolff and Vettel exchange texts amid Hamilton's replacement search

Vettel retired from F1 at the end of the 2022 season with 53 victories to his name. After winning four championships with Red Bull, Vettel moved to Ferrari where a six-year stint failed to yield a much-coveted fifth title. He completed his final two years on the grid with Aston Martin. 

Vettel's return talks to F1 has gained pace after 39-year-old Hamilton activated a break clause to seal his move to the Italian company after admitting the prospect of "driving in Ferrari red" was too hard to turn down.

(With inputs from agencies)