Vettel has no choice but to retire from F1

Formula 1 is almost at the halfway point of the season, which means that teams have to look ahead to the next racing year. Aston Martin and Sebastian Vettel, for example, are busy discussing a possible future partnership. It is reported that the German has strong doubts about whether he wants to continue in Formula 1, and that is completely justified.

The four-time world champion made his name at Red Bull Racing, where the pair proved capable of winning the world championship no less than four years in a row. At Ferrari he hoped to achieve the same, but never came close due to the strength of Mercedes.

Unclear policy of Aston Martin

With his move to Aston Martin Vettel hoped to bring about a change in his career. The driver was done with fighting at the top of the standings and hoped to make quick steps forward with his new team. Aston Martin openly stated that they wanted to compete for the world title, but nothing has come of that promise (yet).

Vettel undoubtedly realises that the British team cannot fight its way to the top of the standings overnight, but compared to last season his team has only deteriorated. Whereas Aston Martin finished seventh in the Constructors' Championship in 2021, a year later it only has Williams under it.

Aston Martin is clearly suffering from the new regulations that have been in force since this season, but even in these it is not following a clear line. During the Spanish Grand Prix the team suddenly introduced updates that made their car look suspiciously like a Red Bull car: an unusual situation to say the least.

Vettel too good for current position

Vettel's current results are not the fault of his qualities at all. The difference in performance with his teammate proves this once more. Whereas Vettel has fifteen points to his name, Lance Stroll only gained three. With three places in the top ten Vettel simply cannot get more out of his car.

Behind the scenes Vettel is also crucial. Despite his rich Formula 1 trophy cabinet, the driver still pulls out all the stops and knows how to inform his team at a detailed level about the performance of his car, allowing Aston Martin to make significant strides every race.

Aston Martin is extremely grateful to the driver, as it has repeatedly stated in recent weeks. Team boss Mike Krack therefore fervently hopes that Vettel chooses to continue his collaboration with the team. However, if Vettel is wise, he will quit.

The departure of Vettel is inevitable

Not only has Vettel clearly lost his enjoyment of the sport, but the successful driver simply does not belong at the back of the grid. The German driver is still good enough to compete at the front but simply doesn't get the chance to actually go for the wins anymore.

Ferrari, Mercedes and Red Bull, meanwhile, all came out with the news that both their drivers have a seat for next season too. If Vettel wants to be on the podium more often, only McLaren is an option. However, if Daniel Ricciardo leaves, that team seems to be going for a young driver.

Meanwhile, there is no sign that Aston Martin will find their way up the ladder any time soon, so Vettel should not let his team convince him and should leave. No doubt his name will be heard often in Formula 1 after this season, but he has had his day as a driver in the motorsport class, painful though that conclusion may be.

This column first appeared on the Dutch edition of GPblog and was written by Jordi Smit.