Sebastian Vettel to retire: Who’ll replace him at Aston Martin?

Sebastian Vettel’s impending retirement ensures Aston Martin will line up with a new driver in the paddock. With Lance Stroll- son of owner Lawrence Stroll- the primary driver within the team, the Silverstone-based outfit will be hoping for a similarly pliant racer. Vettel was the ideal fit for a side geared towards grooving Stroll for the hard yards of Formula1 racing. Despite this de-facto dynamic, Vettel has occasionally taken umbrage at the Canadian’s methods. At the recently concluded French GP, the German had a chance to overtake his teammate on the last lap but was cut short by a dangerous manoeuvre, much to his annoyance.

With his father in charge, Stroll Jr. will remain the top dog. But with limited options, your guess is as good as mine for Vettel’s replacement. 

Also Read: Sebastian Vettel and Red Bull: F1 driver’s partnership timeline

#1. Nico Hulkenberg

The soon-to-be 35-year-old is the obvious choice on the list. Having driven for the team during its Force India days, the German remains as their reserve driver. Standing in for Vettel while he was out with Covid 19 at Bahrain and Saudi Arabia, he’s familiar with the ins and outs at Aston Martin. Soon to undergo a Pirelli test with the team’s AMR22 in Hungary, he’ll have valuable on-track experience with the car. Only two months younger than Vettel, installing him in the driver’s seat buys Stroll Sr. time to consider options for the 2024 season. 

#2. Fernando Alonso

The Spaniard is a former world champion, possesses supreme technical know-how and is a marketable profile- in effect, a perfect storm for Stroll & Co. Further, young Stroll stands to benefit from a potential association with Alonso. Whilst a rabble-rouser during his McLaren-Honda days, the 40-year-old has gotten along swimmingly with the Alpine crew. 

Also Read: Sebastian Vettel to retire: Remembering his five best races

#3. ‘Is there anybody out there’ territory

Ah, we’re just being a little harsh here. There are tons of talented drivers, hungry and raring to go. Alex Albon and Mick Schumacher are potential bets. Daniel Ricciardo’s an option too, but one wonders if he’s left his skills in the Red Bull garage. Dutchman Nyck de Vries deserves a shout-out. Impressive in his FP1 outings with Williams and Mercedes, he’s also a stand-in driver at Aston, leaving him better placed (among the rest) to take over from Vettel.