"I’ve heard Sebastian Vettel wants to drive again" - Former driver says Lewis Hamilton’s Ferrari move could bring retired 4x F1 champion to Mercedes

Former F1 driver Sebastian Vettel reportedly wants to return to racing and he could potentially be Lewis Hamilton's replacement at Mercedes according to Ralf Schumacher.

Lewis Hamilton will be joining Ferrari in the 2025 season, leaving an empty seat behind in Mercedes. So far, there has been no mention of who will be replacing him, but as Ralf Schumacher told Sky Germany, it could well be Sebastian Vettel.

"I’ve heard that Sebastian Vettel wants to drive again," PlanetF1 quoted him.

"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."

Vettel retired from F1 at the end of the 2022 season following his final stint with Aston Martin. However, there have been rumors about the German's comeback to racing.

Mercedes' empty seat after Lewis Hamilton's departure appears to be the perfect opportunity for him to make a return. However, whether Mercedes would be willing to hire him given their reputation for hiring younger drivers remains a question.

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Mercedes team principal revealed he talks to Sebastian Vettel regularly

Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff revealed earlier this month that he remains in touch with the four-time F1 world champion.

While it might spark excitement for fans, he clarified that their conversation is not about driving for Mercedes in the future. Wolff said, as per F1 reporter Tobi Gruner:

"I think he made the decision to not race anymore. We are talking on a regular basis. We've also talked yesterday, but it wasn't about driving for us in the future."

Sebastian Vettel and Lewis Hamilton shared a healthy rivalry when the former raced with Ferrari. Although he could never defeat the Mercedes, Vettel was one of the biggest contenders for the championship.

Mercedes were dominant in that era, but since the new aerodynamic regulations were introduced in 2022, the team has not been competitive. Mercedes only won a single race since that season.

Furthermore, Hamilton has not won any race in the past two seasons. This has been analyzed as a major factor for him to move to Ferrari in 2025.

Mercedes' challenger for the upcoming F1 season, the W15, has had rather positive feedback so far after the three days of pre-season testing. Technical Director James Allison had earlier stated that the car has been worked on to fix the issues with their previous challengers.