Sebastian Vettel appears ready to re-fire his motor racing engine.
The quadruple world champion retired from Formula 1 at the end of last year, but he left the door more than open to a comeback.
"It’s possible that in six months I’ll go crazy, not be able to stand it on the couch any longer and want to drive again," the 35-year-old German said recently.
That time appears to have come already, as it emerges that he will demonstrate an old Red Bull car on the fabled Nordschleife as part of the 12-hour race weekend in September.
However, it’s also part of Vettel’s involvement in the promotion of synthetic fuels.
"It’s important to me to show that we can drive just as well and quickly with synthetic or carbon neutral fuel," he told Bild am Sonntag newspaper.
"Synthetic fuels offer a solution so you can responsibly have fun. A lot of people just don’t know that yet."
However, according to the German broadcasters RTL and ntv, Vettel might also be serious about an actual return to top-level motorsport.
"According to our information, Vettel is considering starting in the legendary 24-hour race at Le Mans," they declared.
"A return seems to be a real option at the moment as he is particularly fascinated by the history and the cars and can well imagine competing there in 2024."