Formula 1 team Aston Martin has confirmed its desire to extend Sebastian Vettel’s contract.
“I really hope that he stays with us. The next few weeks will tell. He has to make a decision,” said team boss Mike Krack in the podcast “Beyond The Grid” of the motorsport premier class.
“We know exactly what kind of diamond we have there,” said the Luxembourger. “He has years ahead of him where he can be successful if he has a car that can do it.” Vettel doesn’t currently have such a car.
The four-time world champion’s contract with the English racing team expires at the end of this year. Vettel recently made it clear at the French Grand Prix that he wanted to continue driving beyond this season. “Oh yes, he definitely does,” Krack replied when asked if the Heppenheimer still loved racing. Vettel still has this “fire in his eyes”.
Remembering young Vettel
Krack has known the German for a long time. At the end of August 2006, Vettel did his first practice laps in the pinnacle of motorsport for BMW in Istanbul on a Friday. Krack was chief engineer at the time.
Vettel was “very refreshing” as a teenager back then, recalled the current Aston Martin team boss. The Hessian had a high basic speed, but only after he switched to Toro Rosso in 2007 was he able to tap into his potential.
Vettel has been driving for Aston Martin since 2021, which has major problems with the development of its car. In the world championship standings, the 35-year-old is only 14th, directly ahead of Haas driver Mick Schumacher. After the Hungarian Grand Prix this weekend, Formula 1 is going on a four-week summer break.