Toto Wolff gives honest view on signing Sebastian Vettel as Lewis Hamilton replacement
Sebastian Vettel has been linked with Mercedes as Toto Wolff weighs up potential replacements for Lewis Hamilton.
Toto Wolff has refused to rule out a move for Sebastian Vettel with the four-time world champion in contention for the soon-to-be-vacant seat alongside George Russell at Mercedes.
Vettel retired from F1 at the end of the 2022 season following a two-year stint with the Aston Martin team, but the 36-year-old has hinted a return is now an option to replace the Ferrari-bound Lewis Hamilton at Mercedes.
Discussing Vettel's interest in an F1 comeback, Wolff told Sky Sports F1: "I think with Seb I have a friendship that goes back a long time, and we're talking about everything.
"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 One, 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."
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Vettel is a compelling short-term option for Wolff as he considers his line-up for next season. The team principal is keen to promote Kimi Antonelli at the first logical opportunity, although the early signs from his debut Formula Two campaign show that 2025 may be too soon.
With Antonelli in need of more time, Mercedes are ideally looking for a candidate who can fill in for one or two seasons, and Vettel fits that billing to perfection.
Should Wolff opt to give Vettel the call for 2025, he will have the blessing of the man he would be replacing. Addressing the links ahead of the Japanese Grand Prix, Hamilton said: "I would love for Seb to come back.
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"He would be an amazing option for the team. A German driver, a multi-world championship-winning driver and someone who has got amazing values and continues to take this team forward. I'd love it if he came back."
However, a return to F1 depends on more than just Mercedes making an offer. "It might be appealing and interesting, but it really depends on the full package," Vettel told Radio X.
"Because it is a big commitment as well; with all the other stuff going on outside the driving activity. So, to seriously consider I think, it would very much of course depend on the package.”