Sebastian Vettel makes final decision on F1 comeback

Four-time F1 champion Sebastian Vettel has accepted that a return to the F1 grid as a driver is no longer a possibility.

Vettel bowed out of F1 at the end of the 2022 campaign following a two-year stint with Aston Martin.

The German enjoyed a bulk of his F1 success in the 2010s, winning all four of his titles with Red Bull before adding 14 race wins to his resumé at Ferrari.

Vettel has hinted at a potential comeback in the past, but has now acknowledged his days as a driver in the series are over.

"F1 is finished,” Vettel told Auto Motor und Sport. “At some point the time is ripe to leave the field to others. 

“You see that with the rookies. I think it's good that a lot of drivers have now been replaced. 

“That's not a vote against the older ones, but for the younger ones. In the past, I didn't care who among the established drivers was no longer driving. 

“The most important thing was that I was allowed to drive," the German concluded.

Sebastian Vettel open to 24 Hours of Le Mans entry

However, Vettel has not yet ruled out the prospect of having an outing in another racing category.

Since walking away from F1, Vettel's only competitive appearance has been at the Race of Champions.

In recent years, Vettel was linked with a move to the World Endurance Championship and a seat at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, which still remains an option for the 38-year-old.

"I don't want to rule out something coming of it. There have been talks, but somehow it hasn't come about yet," Vettel said.

"In the past I was honestly not that interested in endurance racing, from my perspective as a lone fighter. 

“Nowadays, I see it differently. I find it totally exciting, with this team structure, sharing a car and making compromises. 

“In motorsport, it's difficult to say: I'll only drive half the races. 

“WEC would actually be a good fit with its eight races, which are also structured differently than Formula 1.

 "It's always a question of how intense you want to do something. For me, it has always been that when I participate in something, I want to do it well. Just participating is nothing for me.”