Sebastian Vettel offered team boss a Formula E drive amid Aston Martin F1 doubts

Four-time F1 world champion Sebastian Vettel has been vocal about the need for the sport to evolve and focus on environmental issues such as climate change

Video is loading

Video not available

The video will start playing automatically soon8thCancel

Play Now

Vettel admits Aston Martin’s car ‘isn’t where they want it to be’

A chance awaits Sebastian Vettel in Formula E as doubts over his F1 future continue to mount.

Vettel, 34, has cemented his status as one of the sport’s legends after winning four straight world titles with Red Bull from 2010 to 2013. He later finished second twice during a six-year stint at Ferrari before signing on to Aston Martin for Lawrence Stroll’s ambitious project.

However, things haven’t gone according to plan for the German star since the move. His 2021 season was underwhelming, finishing 12th overall after gaining just 43 points over the course of the season.

This year heralded the start of a new era in Formula 1, with tough new regulations designed to make racing more competitive. The concept was meant to help Aston Martin challenge more often, but the team has struggled so far in 2022.

Vettel himself got off to a hot start and was forced to miss the first two races in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia due to Covid-19. On his return he failed at the Australian Grand Prix before crossing the line eighth at Imola and then 17th at Miami.

The icon has also been a frequent critic of F1 for not responding appropriately to climate change. Despite bosses pledging to have a net-zero carbon footprint by 2030, Vettel said last year that the sport will “die out” if it keeps making the same “environmental mistakes”.

Vettel’s eye is not lost on DS Techeetah Formula E boss Thomas Chevaucher, who clearly believes the concept of electric cars could lure the star: “Sebastian is very interested in environmental protection and has climate change in mind, just like we do in formula E,” Chevaucher said of Givemesport.

“We don’t know to what extent he is interested in continuing his career in Formula E, but we want to give him the opportunity to try out a CO2-neutral racing car.” Formula E, in its eighth season, has placed great emphasis on environmentally friendly cars.

And while it boasts former F1 drivers such as Jean-Eric Vergne and Pascal Wehrlein, Vettel’s capture would undoubtedly increase public and media interest. It would also potentially be an intriguing final challenge in his motorsport career.

Vettel has been in the news lately, appearing on BBC Question Time this month and taking aim at British Prime Minister Boris Johnson. He also amused fans with his “underpants” protest in Miami.

After an FIA crackdown on the types of underwear drivers are required to wear, Vettel responded by wearing his boxer shorts over his overalls in the team garage. He also spoke out for Lewis Hamilton, who was threatened with a racing ban for wearing jewelry in Grand Prix races.

In February, he was also the first driver to declare that he would not be entering the Russian Grand Prix given the invasion of Ukraine – before the race was officially canceled: “I shouldn’t go, I won’t go,” he said . “People are killed for stupid reasons. A very strange and crazy leadership.”