A rumor is causing a stir in the German Formula 1 community on social media: could Sebastian Vettel really make a comeback in 2023, sooner than everyone thinks, as a replacement at Aston Martin for the injured regular driver Lance Stroll? This has been spreading as very hot speculation since Saturday.
It all started with British TV commentator David Croft, who casually said during the broadcast of the Bahrain tests that he had overheard the rumor that Vettel should have offered himself to Aston Martin just in case.
At first glance, that seems unlikely. Firstly, because Aston Martin had test driver Felipe Drugovich tested this week and not Vettel. And secondly, because getting into an Aramco-sponsored Formula 1 car at grands prix in countries like Bahrain or Saudi Arabia would not fit in at all with Vettel’s social agenda.
Vettel is said to be vacationing in Scandinavia at the moment. After the Race of Champions, he stayed right up north, his brother Fabian reported during the Formula 1 tests on a “Sky” live link. It was there that father Norbert fulfilled his lifelong dream of seeing aurora borealis with his own eyes.
That’s what Mike Krack says about the Vettel rumors
On Saturday evening, after the end of the test, Aston Martin team boss Mike Krack presented himself to the press. He was specifically asked by journalists from the Motorsport Network, which also includes “Motorsport-Total.com”, about the possibility that Vettel could make a comeback. And his buttoned-up reaction is at least suspicious.
Krack admits he has spoken to Vettel “a few times” on the phone since Stroll’s bicycle accident became known. But he downplays it: “I did that last year too, and we will continue to do so in the future.”
When asked specifically whether Vettel offered to take over Stroll’s cockpit, Krack only replies: “I won’t tell you that.”
At the moment, the team assures us, Stroll is Plan A. The Canadian is supposed to try out in the simulator over the next few days to see if he’s fit enough for a race. If he isn’t, Drugovich could initially replace him at the season opener in Bahrain on March 5.
Chance of a comeback only in Saudi Arabia?
Should Stroll’s convalescence take longer than Aston Martin had hoped, Saudi Arabia would be an option for Vettel on March 19. A fateful one at that: in 2022 he had to skip the Grand Prix in Jeddah due to a coronavirus disease.
When asked specifically whether a longer preparation time would increase Vettel’s chances, Krack at least did not use the opportunity to clearly deny the story. Instead he says: “It’s very, very hypothetical. Our plan A is to have Lance in the car. Then we’ll talk further. We won’t talk about Jeddah until after Bahrain. We haven’t made the decision yet.”
Krack puts it into perspective: “One thing must not be forgotten: Sebastian had a very thorough plan for his resignation. And I think that should be respected. Let’s see what happens.”
Aston Martin assures: Stroll is Plan A
At the same time, he admits that Stroll’s return remains vague for the time being: “I honestly don’t know. He’s our plan A. We want Lance in the car. But we’ll have to wait and see what he says – and what the doctors say.”
“There are certain deadlines with the FIA that must be respected and we will respect them. Let’s see how the situation develops in the next few days. It’s like in football: if a player is injured, you wait until the very last Wait a minute, whether he can play or not.”
If Stroll isn’t able to drive in a week, “then we’d have to come up with a plan B. We have a few plan Bs in the drawer, but we’ll only decide on that once it’s clear that plan A is no longer possible. It’s quite simple: we can drive or not?”
Krack also confirms that Stroll has not yet tested in the simulator at Silverstone. But that’s the plan for the next few days: “Not yet, but it will be. That’s the first step.”