A GOOD FRIEND CLOSES A NEW DOOR FOR VETTEL
As Sebastian Vettel’s contract with Ferrari comes to an end at the end of the season, the German F1 Champion is of course on the lookout for a new Formula 1 team.
Racing Point (soon to become Aston Martin) team boss Otmar Szfanauer has recently ruled out an arrival for the German driver.
The Ferrari F1 adventure is coming to an end for Sebastian Vettel. The Scuderia has announced that it will not extend the contract of the German driver, who will leave the Italian team at the end of the season.
Replaced by Carlos Sainz Jr, the four-time world champion is in search of a new team, and Sebastian Vettel has been widely tipped to join either Mercedes, Renault or Racing Point. However, British Racing Point team boss Otmar Szfanauer has ruled out the German driver’s imminent arrival.
“I can’t speak for Seb, but we all know how good a job he’s done. He won very early with Toro Rosso (in 2008), which was fantastic, and he is a four-time world champion.
“He had some great races and I think at his relatively young age of 33 he still has some good years ahead of him. But that’s not for me to say.
“Seb and I have been good friends for a long time, even before he was a Formula One driver, I knew him, and ironically he didn’t call me, so I didn’t have the conversation…
“We are also happy with our driver duo (Sergio Perez and Lance Stroll) and they work well together,” confirmed the Racing Point boss.
Quite where Vettel will end up in 2021 remains unclear, and TJ13 feels that it largely depends on Mercedes owners, Daimler, and their plans for future participation in Formula 1.
Certainly, if Sebastian hasn’t been in contact with a good friend who happens to be a team boss of a potentially decent midfield team, then the German is setting his sights on a works team or bust. Renault or Mercedes are the only potential candidates here, with Mercedes being the most favoured of the two at present.
With the Covid 19 situation hitting manufacturers hard in 2020, we may well see Mercedes reduce their participation in F1 beyond this season, in which case Vettel may decide (or have the decision made for him) not to attempt to join the team, leaving him to possibly join Renault or retire from F1.
That said if Mercedes commence a strategy of reduced F1 participation, but over a longer period of years, or indeed they remain fully committed to Formula 1 long term, the Daimler board may force Hamilton to accept the very marketable German of Sebastian Vettel into a ‘wonder team’ of 10, possibly 11, world driver championships.
Source: thejudge13.com
