Sebastian Vettel, a German driver for Aston Martin F1 Team, participated in the Practice Day of the Formula 1 World Championship at the Spanish Grand Prix in Barcelona, Spain on May 20, 2022.
Former Formula 1 team owner Eddie Jordan suggests that Mercedes should prioritize attempting to entice Sebastian Vettel to replace Lewis Hamilton, who will be joining Ferrari next season.
Hamilton shocked the Formula 1 community by signing a multi-year contract with Ferrari starting in 2025, despite having renewed his contract with Mercedes for two years just six months ago.
Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff has stated that the team will take its time to decide whether they are seeking an experienced driver or a rising star to partner with George Russell.
Vettel chose to retire from the sport at the end of 2022, concluding a remarkable career that included four Drivers’ titles, 53 victories, and 122 podium finishes.
Although Wolff downplayed the possibility of considering his long-time friend Vettel, Jordan believes that a German driver in a German car would be an ideal solution for Mercedes.
“I personally believe that Vettel should be considered in the short term,” Jordan stated on the Formula for Success podcast. “The cars nowadays are not as demanding to drive as they were in the past, which is why drivers like Alonso and the older ones can continue. That’s why I find it very disappointing that there isn’t a rookie in the championship for the first time in Formula 1 history. But let’s focus on the matter at hand!”
“Considering Vettel because of his German background makes sense,” Jordan continued. “We’ve seen it happen before with Michael Schumacher leaving Ferrari and returning to Mercedes. So that’s a possibility. You’ve also mentioned Ocon, but I personally like Albon. He could potentially replace Perez in the future. However, if it were up to me and considering the direction Formula 1 is heading, I would choose Vettel. It’s a logical choice for Mercedes to have a German driver in their car.”
“I believe Toto is facing some pressure with Mercedes regarding why they weren’t aware of Hamilton’s decision before the car launch. It’s concerning and could affect the team and their promotional plans,” Jordan added. “They now have to reconsider all the advertising they had planned for a long time. It wouldn’t make sense to promote Lewis Hamilton when they know he’s leaving the team. It’s a significant surprise, I must say.”
If Vettel were to come out of retirement and join Mercedes, it would be reminiscent of his childhood idol Schumacher, who drove for the Silver Arrows from 2010 to 2012.
In response to Jordan’s suggestion, David Coulthard discussed how a conversation with the four-time champion revealed that he might consider returning to racing given the right opportunity.
“I had the chance to speak with Vettel at an event in Nurburgring last year, where we both had the opportunity to drive some of the old Red Bulls, the V8s,” Coulthard shared.
“He expressed that he hasn’t completely closed the door on racing again. He still feels that there is unfinished business for him in Formula 1.”
However, Coulthard believes that Vettel may struggle against Russell, as he hasn’t competed in F1 since leaving the sport. Instead, he suggests that Alonso would be a more suitable choice.
“If I were Mercedes, I would choose Alonso over Vettel. He’s in racing form,” Coulthard argued.
“Alonso has a strong understanding of the engines and power units due to his experience with Aston Martin. He still possesses that gladiatorial spirit and is hungry for success.”
“While Vettel may have faced challenges with the development of the Aston Martin during his time there, he didn’t quite demonstrate the same level of dominance over his teammate Lance Stroll as we’ve seen from Fernando Alonso. So, I would go with Fernando, he’s my pick.”
“However, I do believe that Vettel could be a valuable option in terms of experience, and it would certainly make for an interesting marketing story. But he would have to keep up with George, who is incredibly fast. It wouldn’t be an easy task for Seb.”
“If Mercedes were to bring in a big name driver and still fail to secure victories by 2025, it would be a difficult situation. It’s not a scenario that would end well, is it?”
According to the Source motorsportweek.com