Lewis Hamilton has backed Sebastian Vettel’s return to F1, replacing him at Mercedes when the British driver moves to Ferrari at the end of this that season.
Vettel, a four-time world champion who retires at the end of 2022, has already revealed that he has held discussions with teams, including Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff.
Speaking ahead of this weekend’s Japanese GP, Hamilton backed Vettel to return to Mercedes.
I would like to see Seb come back and I think it would be an incredible choice for the team,” he said. A German driver, a driver who has won several world titles and someone with incredible values who will drive the team forward.
I would like to have him back.”When asked if he influenced Mercedes’ decision. , Hamilton laughed and admitted it would be “zero”, something the seven-time champion played a key role.
His time with Mercedes, including his pursuit of diversity and team inclusion.
The only thing I’m really concerned about is that the team gets someone honest and compatible with the team and the team’s spending,” he said “Someone who has compassion, who can work with great people and still elevate them.
There are so many great people on this team.”Vettel is one of several options currently being considered by the team, including an attempt to lure a world champion Max Verstappen away from Red Bull.
Noting Fernando Alonso and Carlos Sainz, as well as his own promising junior driver Andrea Kimi Antonelli.
Earlier this week, Vettel, who won four championships with Red Bull between 2010 and 2013, spent time. six years with Ferrari and two with Aston Martin, has confirmed that he is considering a return to F1.
I’m talking to Toto. I don’t know if it’s Mercedes, but about other things,” he said. “I talk to a lot of people because I know them, but nothing really specific.
I mean, of course [a possible comeback] comes to my mind, I think about it, but that’s not the main idea. I also spoke to many other team principals, not just racing.
There are thoughts, but nothing concrete at the moment. The German recently tested the Porsche 963 sports car currently competing in the World Endurance Championship, and Vettel may consider driving it at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in June.
The team-mate of Hamilton’s George Russell also said he would welcome Vettel to drive with him.
Sebastian is a great person and he is a four-time world champion and his personality will be missed on the grid,” he said It is important that we have 20 of the best drivers in the world, all competing for the race and the championship.
So I’m very happy and sincere to have someone as a teammate. Also in Japan, Russell claimed that Alonso went too far, causing the last time after the high-speed accident in the Australian Grand Prix in which the British pilot suffered.
left him stuck on his side in a car that crashed in the middle of the track in Melbourne. Russell argued that the Spanish driver was absolutely right.
He was penalized by the FIA.Russell chased Alonso in the closing stages of the race as the Spaniard slowed and then accelerated again on the approach to turn six.
Speaking from Japan, Russell admitted he adjusted his steering wheel at the time because he didn’t expect Alonso to slow down in the straight and when he looked up he was almost on top of him.
He was forced to swerve at 150 miles per hour, hit a wall and bounced back into the center of the track, causing him to make a quick stop for fear of being hit by another car.
Every driver is ready to change his attitude. Fig , braking earlier, being able to get through the corner to do whatever,” he said. “If we start braking in the middle of a straight, downshift, accelerate, upshift again and brake again in a corner, I think that’s it.
Besides adjusting the line.”I actually looked at my steering wheel. wheel on this straight like I did every lap before.
And when I looked up 100 meters before the corner, I realized that I was right behind Fernando and not half a second You know, we have so many tasks to complete while riding.
If you add a mixture, you can brake in the middle of the straight for a tactical advantage, or for a tactical advantage, that might be a step too far.
The FIA later penalized Alonso while driving by accident, but at Suzuka he insisted he did not believe he had done anything wrong. I was a bit surprised by the Melbourne penalty but there is nothing we can do,” he said.
There is no obligation to drive 57 laps in the same way. Sometimes we go slower to save fuel, save tires, save battery, sometimes we go slow in curves or in certain sections of the track to give DRS to the car behind because it is a useful tool when there is another behind the car faster.”.
