Sebastian Vettel addresses rumours of potential motorsport comeback in Formula E

Michelle Foster
Sebastian Vettel in his race without trace overalls.

Sebastian Vettel in his race without trace overalls.

Sebastian Vettel has rubbished speculation he’ll be racing in Formula E with the ABT Cupra team, saying he’s not speaking with team owner Thomas Biermaier nor any other Formula E team.

Walking away from Formula 1 last season as he cited his desire his spend more time with his family and focus on environmental issues, it was speculated even back then that Vettel and Formula E would be a good fit.

Recently rumours he could be heading to the electric car series took off when ABT Cupra team boss Thomas Biermaier revealed that one of his season 10 drivers would be someone who “cares a lot about the environment and does a lot of sustainability work.”

Sebastian Vettel: I am not in negotiations to run in Formula E

Adding that his new driver would be a “former driver” and that “maybe” the seat was “going to Switzerland”, that just about ticked all the Vettel boxes as while born in Germany, he lives in Switzerland. He’s also a former driver and someone who cares a lot about the environment.

Vettel, however, has denied this.

“I am not in negotiations to run in Formula E with ABT Cupra or with any other team. Words have been put in my mouth, and I would like to clarify that I am not currently considering a return to motorsport,” he told the Spanish edition ofMotorsport.com.

This wouldn’t be the first time the four-time F1 World Championhas been linked to Formula Ewith the sport’s Chairman and Extreme E CEO Alejandro Agag telling talkSPORT that he’d tried to convince Vettel to sign up.

“I tried to persuade Vettel to come to Formula E, we even had talks about Extreme E,” Agag revealed. “Sebastian is very committed to sustainability and the many values we share.”

The Formula E boss wasn’t successful in his attempts to lure the German over to the electric series.

“We probably weren’t at the right time in the right place,” he added. “He has some other important goals. But whatever he does, he would be a great asset.”

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But is Sebastian Vettel in talks with Formula 1?

While Vettel has ruled out racing in Formula E, he could be back in Formula 1 at some point with the 36-year-old telling PlanetF1.com thathe is “talking” with Formula 1about a role within the sport or the FIA.

“We’ll see but I have some ideas,” he said at the Goodwood Festival of Speed. “I’ve been to Monaco earlier this year. I had a very good meeting with [F1 president] Stefano [Domenicali].

“Other than obviously the cars directly polluting, F1 has a huge responsibility because it’s a very big event.

“A lot of people attend, I think you had around 500,000 people in the British Grand Prix last weekend. So there’s a lot more to it than just the cars but obviously the cars, everybody sees them.

“It’s important that it’s headed in the right direction. But I’m talking [with F1] and I have some ideas. Obviously, we’ll see what the future brings.”

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