Mar.1 (GMM) Bernie Ecclestone has shot down rumours already linking the newly-retired Sebastian Vettel with a return to Formula 1.
Aston Martin has already ruled the quadruple world champion out of contention to replace the injured Lance Stroll in Bahrain, but boss Mike Krack admitted that there were talks.
When asked if those talks would have been serious, former F1 supremo Ecclestone told DPA: “No, I don’t think so.
“He’s done with it. He won four world championships and, because of his age, he wouldn’t have won seven.”
Therefore, Ecclestone thinks 35-year-old German Vettel “did the right thing” in deciding to retire.
“He is a world champion, so he has to compete with other world champions,” said the 92-year-old.
“If he couldn’t be in a car capable of winning the world championship, he would have just wasted another year of his life.
“He doesn’t like to lose. If he loses, he is not happy,” Ecclestone added.
Ecclestone was also asked about the fate of another German who will not be on the 2023 grid – Mick Schumacher.
When asked if he would have given the 23-year-old former Haas driver a lifeline for this year, he admitted: “The simple answer is no.
“He spent too much time with the wrong team and was given the wrong advice. I don’t think the team took particularly good care of him either.
“He was pushed aside a bit because of course people remember the famous surname and expected too much too soon.”
Ecclestone therefore thinks the Mercedes reserve seat was “probably the best opportunity” Schumacher had for 2023 to “stay in motorsport”.
“I don’t think he has to learn that much,” he said. “Now he has to be on the ball and make sure he feels comfortable in the team.”