(Suzuka) Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff said on Friday that “you can never rule out” Sebastian Vettel, after the four-time world champion hinted he could return to Formula 1 to replace Lewis Hamilton.
Vettel, who retires in 2022, revealed earlier this week that he had held informal discussions with Wolff, who must find a replacement for the seven-time British world champion next year.
Hamilton announced in February that he would join Ferrari at the end of the season after 11 years with the Silver Arrows.
Speaking ahead of Sunday’s Japanese Grand Prix, Wolff stressed that the 36-year-old German driver’s track record was “phenomenal”, but the Austrian said his team had not yet chosen Hamilton’s successor.
“It’s not something we plan to do in the next few weeks,” he said. “The driver market is very dynamic. Some of the best drivers are about to sign for other teams.”
“We want to continue to discuss and keep options open, but at this stage it is far too early to commit to a pilot,” he added.
“Sometimes taking a break is also good to re-evaluate what is important to you and find your motivation,” Wolff said of the time away from Vettel’s circuits.
Triple world champion, Dutchman Max Verstappen, whose team is still shaken by the Horner affair, would be at the top of Wolff’s wish list.
The young Italian F2 driver Kimi Antonelli, and the German Mick Schumacher, son of seven-time champion Michael Schumacher, have also been mentioned to become the teammate of the Briton George Russell.
Wolff admitted he was looking forward to assessing the talents of 17-year-old Formula 2 driver Antonelli in future F1 practice sessions. “He has been our young hope for a long time and we can’t wait to see what he can do in a Formula 1 car,” he warned.