"Sebastian is flirting with the idea of going back racing," says Toto Wolff; Wolff also suggests rivals poised to make 2025 driver moves; watch Japanese GP qualifying at 7am on Saturday live on Sky Sports F1, with the race at 6am on Sunday
Friday 5 April 2024 10:01, UK
Toto Wolff admits Sebastian Vettel is "someone you can never discount" in his considerations for who replaces Lewis Hamilton at Mercedes but says it is currently "too early" for them to decide on a successor.
But the Mercedes team principal did predict that rival teams are poised to make moves in what stands as an unpredictable 2025 driver market by suggesting: "Some of the really good guys they are about to sign for some of the other teams."
Vettel, who retired from F1 at the end of 2022 after 16 seasons and four world titles, had already been loosely linked with a possible return to some form of racing before he said in interviews this week that he was indeed thinking about a possible comeback to the top level. He also said that he remained in close contact with Wolff and other team principals.
The 36-year-old recently got back behind the wheel in a test of Porsche's Le Mans hypercar ahead of a possible future appearance in the prestigious 24-hour race.
"With Seb I have a friendship that goes back a long time, and we are talking about everything," Wolff told Sky Sports F1 at the Japanese GP.
"Sebastian is flirting with the idea of going back racing, whether it is with Porsche in Le Mans, which is a great programme, or whether it is coming back into Formula 1 - and I try to be a sparring partner and tell him what I think.
"And clearly you can never discount the name for our team as well."
Speaking in Friday's FIA press conference at Suzuka, Wolff also remarked that "Sebastian is someone you can never discount".
"His track record is phenomenal and sometimes maybe taking a break is also good to re-evaluate what's important for you and re-find your motivation," he added.
"As I said before, we haven't taken the decision yet and it's not something that we plan to do in the next few weeks."
With Hamilton's shock Ferrari switch having served to absolutely blow open a driver market for next season that was already set to be fluid owing to the fact half of the 2024 grid are out of contract, Wolff expects some of the next big moves to fall in to place soon - albeit not yet at Mercedes.
"I know that the driver market is very dynamic, some of the really good guys they are about to sign for some of the other teams, and we want to continue to have these discussions and keep the options open," he said.
"But at that stage it's much too early for us to commit to a driver whether very young or whether very experienced - I don't want to say old! The next few months will give us more clues."
Wolff told Fox Sports Australia a fortnight ago in Melbourne that Max Verstappen, whose Red Bull future has been called in to question by the recent tumultuous events at the world championship-winning team, was his number one target to replace Hamilton.
Carlos Sainz, who Hamilton is replacing at Ferrari, and Williams' Alex Albon are also contenders as is Mercedes' existing junior driver Andrea Kimi Antonelli, the highly-rated 17-year-old Italian who is currently competing in his maiden season of Formula 2.
Asked whether he could at least say whether they had whittled their options to replace Hamilton down to no more than three drivers, Wolff replied: "Yes."
Saturday April 6
3.15am: Japanese GP Practice Three (session starts at 3.30am)*
6am: Japanese GP Qualifying build-up*
7am: Japanese GP Qualifying*
9am: Ted's Qualifying Notebook*
9.30am: Japanese GP Qualifying replay
Sunday April 7
5am: Grand Prix Sunday Japanese GP build-up*
6am: The JAPANESE GRAND PRIX*
8am: Chequered Flag: Japanese GP reaction*
9am: Ted's Notebook*
9.30am: Japanese Grand Prix highlights*
10.30am: Japanese Grand Prix replay
*also live on Sky Sports Main Event
Formula 1's biggest ever season continues with the Japanese Grand Prix, live on Sky Sports F1 this weekend. Stream every F1 race and more with a NOW Sports Month Membership - No contract, cancel anytime
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