Climate stance could halt Vettel return - Marko

Sebastian Vettel’s environmental stance may thwart his return to Formula 1 in a Red Bull role.

That is the warning of the quadruple world champion’s former Red Bull boss Dr Helmut Marko, amid rumours Vettel could soon return from retirement with a role either at Red Bull or in a sustainability portfolio at F1.

"I don’t know if Sebastian will return," Speed Week quotes Marko, 80, as having said.

"He has to find himself first. And he also has to admit that there will always be combustion engines in Formula 1.

"Trees grow in the forest, which is a good thing. That’s where I differ from him, because I enjoy practicing forest management in my forest," he added, after Vettel recently warned that F1 risks extinction due to carbon emissions.

Marko was also asked about Red Bull’s impressive and record-busting dominance this year, and said one of the key reasons has been the weakness of the team’s rivals.

"Ferrari and Mercedes have not lived up to expectations," he said.

"Going from 2022 to 2023, they initially did more regression than progression. And because there was no consistency with the competition, we have such a big lead in the championship."