"I think he still has the speed": Mercedes boss Toto Wolff talks about Sebastian Vettel amidst search for Lewis Hamilton's replacement in the team

Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff has praised former F1 driver Sebastian Vettel while searching for Lewis Hamilton's replacement.

Hamilton's decision to leave the Brackley-based team and move to Ferrari in 2025 has prompted Mercedes to seek a replacement. Speaking to the German wing of Sky Sports, Toto Wolff praised Sebastian Vettel for his legendary status and believes he can still excel in F1. Later on, he stated the team needs to decide whether they want a younger driver or a veteran with heaps of experience.

"Sebastian is a great guy and a giant of this sport. I think he still has the speed. After three or four races, we have to decide whether to go for youth or experience. Or do we optimize in the short term and give the youngsters more time to gain experience?"

In his 15-year-long career, Sebastian Vettel won four drivers' world championships with Red Bull and was considered one of the best drivers in the history of the sport. In the latter stages of his career, he raced for Aston Martin for two years before hanging up his racing boots in 2022.

Mercedes has many options, like junior driver Kimi Antonelli, Carlos Sainz, Fernando Alonso, Alex Albon, and even Vettel, who could replace Lewis Hamilton in the future.

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Former F1 driver reckons Sebastian Vettel would want to return to F1 after Lewis Hamilton's Ferrari move

Former F1 driver Ralf Schumacher recently said he heard Sebastian Vettel was interested in returning to F1 after Lewis Hamilton's explosive move to Ferrari. He told Sky Germany that Vettel could be tempted to race after seeing close gaps between teams and how Hamilton's switch affected the stock market.

"I’ve heard that Sebastian Vettel wants to drive again. Of course, you have to close a gap now. You saw what happened on the stock market after Lewis Hamilton’s switch to Ferrari, that triggered something," PlanetF1 quoted Ralf.

Though Vettel retired from the sport in 2022, he has occasionally hinted that he could make a return at some point.