'Book Is Not Closed' On Sebastian Vettel's Racing Return

Porsche clarifies their decision not to race Sebastian Vettel at Le Mans this year due to logistical and regulatory issues, but keeps the door open for his future participation.

Oct 22, 2022; Austin, Texas, USA; Aston Martin Aramco Cognizant Formula One Team driver Sebastian / Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports

Porsche has opened up about the reasons behind not fielding Sebastian Vettel at this year's 24 Hours of Le Mans. Despite testing a new Hypercar, the timing and preparations did not align for Vettel's inclusion.

Former Formula One champion Sebastian Vettel took the Porsche 963 for a spin at Motorland Aragon in March. Over the course of 118 laps, Vettel garnered considerable attention, stirring speculations of his debut in the endurance racing scene at the 24 Hours of Le Mans after retiring from Formula One at the end of 2022. However, the final roster announcement by Porsche for their No. 4 car at Le Mans listed drivers Mathieu Jaminet, Nick Tandy, and Felipe Nasr, with Dane Cameron as the reserve, conspicuously leaving out Vettel.

Addressing the rumors and decisions, Urs Kuratle, Porsche’s LMDh factory director, candidly discussed the elements that influenced their lineup choices. According to Kuratle, several factors restricted the possibility of Vettel joining the prestigious race this year. He explained, as quoted by Sportscar365:

“We had discussions and it didn’t work for this year’s Le Mans for some reasons and that’s it.

“It’s partly how you can prepare it, and it didn’t come together. The time in the car would have been limited, and there’s not much more we could have done with the test ban we have.

“I’m not blaming the test ban, but in the situation we are in, we are not able to have a third car here [at Spa] for example like we used to in the past. The situation was just not right.”

Despite this setback, the dialogue around Vettel’s future with Porsche remains hopeful. Kuratle emphasized:

“It could be. The book is not closed, but it’s also not defined how it continues.”

Choosing the right drivers for Le Mans is a nuanced task, given the depth of talent from Porsche's World Endurance Championship (WEC) and International Motor Sports Association (IMSA) rosters.

“The easy bit is that we have four of the best drivers in the U.S. in the IMSA team, and to bring those guys over to Le Mans is a no-brainer. That car, with these guys, will be one of the best driver lineups in the whole pitlane.

“The not-easy part is to decide who is not driving, because we have 10 drivers [across both the WEC and IMSA rosters] but we only need nine.

“You have to announce who is the one not driving, and all 10 have the experience and the possibility to perform really well at Le Mans. That was the difficult part.

“But, at the end of the day, we are not expecting a Nobel Prize for this decision. Don’t forget with Felipe we have a Daytona winner, and with Tandy we have a Le Mans winner [in 2015] already.”