Sebastian Vettel, Ferrari, Red Bull Ring, 2020

Vettel would accept chance to rejoin Red Bull

2020 F1 season

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Sebastian Vettel says he would take up the opportunity to return to Red Bull if the team offered it to him.

The 33-year-old won all four of his world championships with the team before leaving to join Ferrari. He was seen talking to senior Red Bull staff during the Austrian Grand Prix weekend, prompting speculation the parties are considering a reunion.

Asked about his future plans in today’s FIA press conference, Vettel said he would be willing to go up against Max Verstappen, who is contracted to remain at the team until 2023.

“Generally I am of the conviction that if you want to win, you have to be happy to take on anyone,” said Vettel. “So I don’t think that is a question of your potential team mate no matter where you will find yourself.”

Vettel played down the significance of his appearance on Red Bull-owned television channel Servus TV Christian Horner earlier this week with Verstappen and Red Bull team principal Christian Horner.

“I obviously know the team very, very well from my past. Of course I’m still in contact with a lot of people there, whether it’s Christian, Helmut [Marko] or others. The appearance on Servus TV had nothing to do with that or a potential future.

“Red Bull has a winning car, I believe so, they’re a very strong team, I know how strong they are from the past. Obviously part of the team is not the same any more and the team has a goal. So it’s not fair to say I know the team inside out because it also has changed and moved on.

“But I know why they were strong back then and they’re still I think a contender and obviously, it’s a car that you can win races in so sure that would be interesting.”

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Asked if he would accept an offer to return to the team Vettel said: “I think it’s a winning car and as I said earlier, I’m here to compete and here to win so probably the answer would be yes.”

Vettel also revealed he had informal talks with Renault, who yesterday confirmed they had signed Fernando Alonso for 2021.

“I’ve been such a long time in the paddock that I know quite a couple of people so yes, I did [speak to them] but obviously at no point concrete enough or, can I say, fundamental talks or real talks.

“As you’ve seen as well they’ve gone a different direction. So as I said earlier it doesn’t change much for me. It really depends on my decision, which I’m not pressured to take in the next couple of days. I want to take the time that I need.”

Another potential destination for Vettel in 2021 could be Racing Point, which will be rebranded as Aston Martin, and looked competitive in last weekend’s race.

“I think Racing Point left a very strong impression and are certainly in a good place for this year,” said Vettel. “I know part of the team, I know some members of the team quite well from from my past and for a long time so I think it’s obviously a good opportunity for them this year to have a good car to fight with and try and improve that from there.”

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2020 F1 season

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27 comments on “Vettel would accept chance to rejoin Red Bull”

  1. Didnt Marko already close the door for this move?

    1. It wouldn’t be the first time his decision did not stand, after all, it’s not his decision in the end I suppose. He’s got his own boss to report to.

    2. Haha, you mean you believe a word that comes from Marko’s mouth? Lol

  2. Didn’t Alonso said they’ll be together soon?

  3. Even if it shafts some of the young talent, it would be great to have Hamilton vs Vettel vs Alonso vs Verstappen vs Riccardo vs LeClerc, even if it’s just for one season.

    1. @joshgeake Alonso probably won’t have the car to challenge at that level, and neither will Ricciardo, although neither Ricciardo nor Vettel are at the same level of the others anyway.

      1. Lol Ricciardo annihilated vettel so he is much better then vettel, and he tied with max while max had preferential treatment at red bull. Ricciardo is at alonso and Hamiltons level

  4. He doesn’t sound like a driver that’s about to retire… watch this space. I’d bet on Racing Point (Aston Martin). Would love to see it happen, a historic brand with a world champion driver at it’s launch.

  5. For sure, yes.
    Say yes, to the wedding, because you know the bride very well … It’s like part two of a movie. But beware that the following are generally not better … because the characters have already changed, and truth be told, the role of main actor is already fulfilled.
    So it might be better to mature the idea and think about the consequences …

  6. Albon looks good at the moment in the Red Bull, not great but good enough. But if he fails to deliver some podiums or some great drives by the end of the European season, unlikely but things happen, then it might look like 2019 all over again. Gasly looked like he will cope well in the Red Bull given how good he did with Toro Rosso in 2018 but the big team is another issue. We could be again in the situation where Marko is telling the press “Albon is doing fine” until they announce that they’ll demoted him and then suddenly agree to bring Vettel back…

    Crazier things have happened, at the moment my money is on Vettel retiring but never say never…

    1. @black Albon has only looked good in one race for half a lap. During most of the race he was out driven by his team mate by considerable margin. Only a late tire change made him really shine. Albon needs to be quicker. Match or beat verstappen on pace. Albon needs to show promise and potential. He hasn’t done it once. At the moment I don’t think he is even as fast as kvyat was on red bull.

      I’d imagine red bull are looking at what albon does and they’ll decide on vettel later. After all red bull don’t have a line of good options waiting (They even missed out on alonso haha!). This is just albon’s second year in f1 after all so giving him a bit more time is the best for everybody. If albon’s pace this year is similar to 2019 I think vettel is a good deal for red bull. Vettel is still quick and even if he makes stupid mistakes he is still quick.

      1. The fact you had to say he’s quick twice in a phrase worries me (about vettel’s performance. IMO he’s not that quick any more and coupled with the mistakes, not worthy of a f1 car.

  7. At this stage, I am in agreement with @cduk_mugello

  8. Adam (@rocketpanda)
    9th July 2020, 18:17

    I’d be surprised if Red Bull would put him in their car alongside Verstappen. Looking at Albon’s performances so far there’s no really good reason to get rid or move him and having VET/VER could be messy. As for the Racing Point/Aston Martin idea it’s interesting but I can’t see them getting rid of Perez due to contracts or Stroll because of nepotism so there’s no room for him there.

    If he returns to a Red Bull operated team I could certainly see them ejecting Kvyat and having Vettel & Gasly at Alpha Tauri. Though whether Vettel would want to go there is a different question. Who knows? Apparently Red Bull are still awfully fond of Vettel so with a little higher investment and continued collaboration with the parent team… Alpha Tauri could be a good option? He doesn’t have a lot of comfortable options remaining.

  9. The problem I see with Sebastian going to Red Bull is Max! What’s going to happen when Max has new tyres on and is stuck behind Sebastian driving a car with old tyres? Sebastian didn’t see why he should let Mark Webber pass him when it would have benefited the team, he didn’t see why he should let Daniel Ricciardo pass him when it would have benefited the team, so I can see a big problem when Max wants to pass Sebastian. It would be much less stressful for Christian if he just keeps his current line up.

  10. Vettel isn’t going to Alpha Tauri. He is a four time champion. RB would either offer him a drive in the big team or none at all.

  11. Vettel has a chance to spend time with his family. This Covid thing might have been eye opening for many drivers??

  12. Vettel sounds desperate not to spend more time with his family

  13. where is his manager?

  14. Jose Lopes da Silva
    9th July 2020, 22:59

    Pretty much every driver in the field would accept a chance to join Red Bull, apart from Lewis Hamilton (because he is too good for that, at the moment) and Lance Stroll.

    1. Lance Stroll would accept a chance to join Red Bull… he’ll never get a chance.. not even in his dreams.. but he’d accept it.

      1. Well, if lawrence bought red bull..

  15. Hes been outclassed by leclerc and he will be outclassed by max.

  16. So far, this “season”, there is nothing to show that Vettel is worth signing on at any team or that he would be better than anyone that he could or would replace.
    Yes, that’s right, I am not a fan of S. Vettel.
    But …. the all-mighty But, should he get his stuff together and run up a bunch of podiums with finishes, consistently in the top 4, all without driving like an idiot, then I would be the first to say he could stand a chance of slotting into a decent drive. I hope he does it, but somehow I suspect we will hear the old phrase … “snatching defeat from the jaws of victory”.

  17. I can’t fathom why Red Bull or any top team would offer a drive to an error-prone driver like Vettel, who really has been found wanting at Ferrari. He was hugely, hugely fortunate at Red Bull and should retire.

  18. I guess Mateschitz is the only person who’s opinion will change Vettel’s fate.

    I think Albon seems like he’s coping decently, but he isn’t anywhere close to his predecessor’s (Ricciardo) level. He might grow in terms of consistency and pace to a Bottas level within the next year or so, and then he’d be the perfect #2 at Red Bull, but up until then there will always be speculation of another driver taking that seat.

    Personally, I think don’t think Vettel will be able to perform at Red Bull. He’s always loved the golden boy treatment within his team, and there’s no way he’s going to get that at Red bull with a far superior driver pitted against him. If the terms of racing are equal between teammates, Vettel will get his rear end handed to him just like he did with Ricciardo and Leclerc. Then the toys get thrown out of the pram and Horner has a headache. Vettel has no place in that team to be honest. What Red Bull want is a Bottas type driver, which can be found in Albon or another up and coming talent.

    Mateschitz might be the only one to override this decision, and hypothetically, if he does get Vettel back to the team, it will probably be as a stop gap solution till they find a more deserving driver for that 2nd seat. A lot of this depends on how Albon performs over the next 4 to 5 race weekends though..

  19. playstation361
    12th July 2020, 9:55

    It will be nice if Red Bull takes him back and things develop speed.

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