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Four-time Formula 1 world champion Sebastian Vettel has left the door open to taking on a future role in the championship, although he said he is not currently approaching teams or looking for a formal position.
Speaking on the BBC's Chequered Flag Podcast after the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, Vettel said he continues to follow Formula 1 closely while spending much of his post-retirement life with his family and running a small farm at home.
The German, who stepped away from Formula 1 after his racing career, also said he remains interested in where the championship is heading, particularly as the sport brings in new regulations and works toward its net-zero target for 2030.
Vettel said retirement had given him more time with his family while also allowing him to focus on his farm, but Formula 1 remains an important part of his life.
"Obviously, I enjoy the time that I have. I think it's a privilege to be in that position with family but also I run a little farm at home, so looking after that," Vettel said.
He added that he is still closely involved with developments surrounding the sport even without holding an official role.
Vettel also followed the Azerbaijan Grand Prix in Baku, where Mercedes driver George Russell won ahead of Red Bull pair Max Verstappen and Isack Hadjar.
Although Vettel said he would consider opportunities that might come up in the future, he made clear that he is not actively trying to get back into Formula 1.
"I'm always open for what comes around the corner in terms of maybe a role in the future but I'm not actively pursuing it. I'm not speaking to teams or individuals and dropping my CV here and there but following from the outside with great joy and pleasure."
His remarks suggest that any return would depend on the right opportunity emerging rather than a planned comeback.
Vettel also said the environmental and sustainability issues that became increasingly important to him during the final years of his racing career continue to shape how he looks at Formula 1.
He pointed in particular to the sport's future regulations and its 2030 net-zero goal, saying he continues to think about sustainability not only in relation to Formula 1 but also in terms of future generations.
"But obviously, the topics that have been in my head the final years of my active career are still very much there and present. So topics around sustainability, around the future, not just for myself, for my children, but for all of us and the future of the sport."
Vettel said the projects and ideas he worked on toward the end of his career remain part of his thinking as he considers what could come next.
"That's where it closes the loop and the projects that I've done, some of them visible at the track, others less visible, I'm very much thinking about the ideas that I have for what might come next."
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