Sebastian Vettel drops retirement hint and reveals stance on returning to Red Bull in 2021

Sebastian Vettel admits he could retire when his contract runs out with Ferrari, but would also be open to returning to Red Bull. Vettel will leave Ferrari at the end of the 2020 season and will be replaced by Carlos Sainz.

But his future is still unclear and he admits nothing is off the table just yet.

He held talks with Renault over their seat for next season before Fernando Alonso was confirmed this week, but also admits retirement could be a possibility.

“I haven’t at this stage made a decision yet,” he said.

“I’m not taking any pressure. We’ve all seen that Fernando is coming back which I think is good for F1 so we’ll see how he gets on.

“But looking at myself, I’ll take the time that I need to take a decision for myself first.

“Everything is an option at the moment: Carry on, have a break, or retire. But as I said I haven’t made the decision yet so it depends on what options are around.

“It’s not a secret that I’m competitive, I have achieved so much in this sport and I’m interested in achieving more, not just taking part.”

READ MORE: Max Verstappen reveals how he feels about teaming up with Sebastian Vettel

The four-time world champion still has the desire to compete so a move to team up with Max Verstappen at Red Bull would appeal, but that would mean dislodging Alex Albon.

Vettel drove for Red Bull between 2009-2014, winning his four titles in a row, before joining Ferrari in 2015.

Mercedes have dominated the grid since 2014 with Lewis Hamilton winning it five times and Nico Rosberg once since Vettel’s last triumph.

But Vettel admits he’s been in touch with team with Red Bull team principal Christian Horner.

“I once again know the team very, very well from my past, so of course I’m still in contact with a lot of the people there, whether it’s Christian [Horner, team boss], Helmut [Marko, team advisor] or others,” he said.

“Red Bull has a winning car, I believe, so they are a very strong team, I know how strong they are from the past. Obviously a part of the team is not the same anymore and the team has evolved 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 are still I think a contender and it’s a car you can win races in, so for sure that would be interesting.”

Asked if he would accept an offer if Red Bull came calling, Vettel then admitted: “I think it’s a winning car, and I’m here to compete, I’m here to win, so probably the answer would be yes.”

source: express.co.uk