Vettel will not be returning to Red Bull Racing

Red Bull Racing boss Christian Horner has ruled out the possibility of re-signing Sebastian Vettel for Red Bull Racing next season.

The German won all of his four world championships with the Tilbrook team before he moved to Ferrari in 2015. Despite 14 wins and twice finishing runner-up in the F1 standings for the Scuderia, Vettel was not offered a contract for 2021 to remain in red. And with seats at rival teams being snapped up already, Vettel's options are fast running out.

Rumours circulated this week that a potential return to Red Bull was on the cards to replace Alex Albon. But speaking on Friday, Horner ruled out the possibility but admitted the idea of re-signing Vettel had been discussed.

He said: "The topic has been raised and we had a brilliant time with Seb and he will forever be a part of our history. It's not something we're going to accommodate. It's a definite no I'm afraid and Sebastian is aware of that.

"We didn't expect him to be on the market this year, but our commitment is to our current drivers. We feel we have an excellent pairing in Max and Alex and we think it has great potential for the future.

"It's unusual for a four-time champ to be out of a drive at this time of year. He has a few options available to him – Racing Point or take a year out."