Christian Horner puts doubt on Sebastian Vettel Red Bull return in management role

Henry Valantine
Sebastian Vettel talks to Adrian Newey and Christian Horner of Red Bull. Spain, February 2022.

Adrian Newey, left, and Christian Horner, right, talk to their former Red Bull driver Sebastian Vettel. Spain, February 2022.

Christian Horner has cast doubt on Sebastian Vettel making a return to Red Bull, with the team boss saying he is unsure he would take on a management role with the team.

Red Bull motorsport advisor Helmut Marko spoke last November about the prospect of the newly-retired driver potentially taking on his role in finding and managing young talent for the team one day when he decides to call it quits, and he recently reiterated that he would like to see the four-time World Champion back in the paddock in some capacity soon.

Vettel retired at the end of last season with the aim of spending more time with his family and looking at other projects, and even hinted at a possible future in rallying, if the competitive fire continues to burn within him.

Horner, Vettel’s long-time boss at Red Bull, was asked by Auto Motor und Sport in Germany about the possibility of his former driver reuniting with the team in a management capacity, and he cannot see it happening soon.

“I don’t think so,” Horner said. “I can’t see Seb doing a nine to five job or moving to the UK, and I think there’s so many other things in his life that he wants to do and achieve with his family.

“He’s a little bit of a free spirit and he has many projects that he’s hugely passionate about, and I think there’s certain things in Formula 1, other than the driving, that obviously he felt conflicted about.

“So maybe to Formula 1 as an environmental advisor, that might be something, you know, that he can take and use his passion.

“But I think, in the day-to-day operation of a team, I’d be very surprised if he were to get involved in that.”

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Vettel was recently back in racing action alongside Mick Schumacher for Team Germany at the ever-popular Race of Champions in Sweden, and he has been given extra time to decide on his future as a director of the Grand Prix Drivers’ Association by chairman Alex Wurz, as Wurz himself revealed to PlanetF1.com.

The German retired from Formula 1 with the third-highest victory total of any driver in history, his 53 wins sitting behind only Michael Schumacher and Lewis Hamilton.