Sebastian Vettel dropped the biggest hint yet that he might quit Formula 1 as he admitted he has to be "realistic" about his future.
The four-time world champion is one of the most experienced racers among the current crop, and has spent much of his time in the sport fighting for race wins and world championships. But that has not been the case for the last couple of years, and fans are more used to seeing him struggle for the small points than competing towards the front.
While the German must take some of the responsibility, the simple truth is he has one arm tied behind his back by a poor Aston Martin car. Now in his second season with the team, other than a handful of races, he is yet to be given a car capable of matching his ambition.
In 2021 there were at least some high points. The big moment came in Baku, as he finished second at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix. Vettel thought he had secured another podium in Hungary later that same season, but was disqualified as officials could not take a large enough fuel sample from his car.
Aston Martin went off the boil in the second half of the year, and have so far failed to impress in 2022. The car is clearly not as competitive as the team wants, and the only genuinely bright moment again came in Baku with a season-best finish of sixth.
As a result, Vettel's future with the team – and in the sport – is up in the air. His current contract expires at the end of the season, and the German has given a hint that this might be the right time for him to call time on his trophy-laden F1 career.
"I don't want to fight for the points, but for the victory. Otherwise the fun is gone for me," he said, as quoted by F1 reporter Davide Russo. "In the coming weeks, in consultation with my family, I will be clear about how realistic my goals are and about how much energy I still have to grow with the team."
Aston Martin chief Mike Krack has already pledged to offer the former Red Bull and Ferrari racer a new deal – it is up to Vettel if he wants to stay with the team. "We were always clear that if he wants to continue, we would like him to stay for long, yes," he said. "We are talking. We have a very, very good relationship, and it is not that we have to set each other deadlines."
