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Sebastian Vettel and Ferrari - what now?

2020-05-13T03:33:18.044Z


Out and over. Sebastian Vettel and Ferrari split up at the end of this season. What happens now? Does Vettel continue his Formula 1 career? Who will be his successor at Ferrari? Excitement is guaranteed.


Out and over. Sebastian Vettel and Ferrari split up at the end of this season. What happens now? Does Vettel continue his Formula 1 career? Who will be his successor at Ferrari? Excitement is guaranteed.

Maranello (dpa) - After leaving Ferrari, Sebastian Vettel has to ponder. "I myself will take the time to think about what is really important for my future," said the four-time Formula 1 world champion after the separation was announced at the end of this year.

Does the 32-year-old Heppenheimer continue beyond this season or does the triple father even retire to private life? "I have a few ideas, but I haven't decided yet," Vettel replied earlier this year when asked if he could see what he would do after he retired. There are now various scenarios for Vettel and the driver market.

MERCEDES

The contracts of defending champion Lewis Hamilton (35) and adjutant Valtteri Bottas (30) expire at series champion Mercedes at the end of the year. "With a view to the future, we are primarily committed to loyalty to our current Mercedes drivers," team boss Toto Wolff of the German Press Agency replied when asked whether Mercedes was trying to sign Vettel, "but we can of course do this development don't forget ".

Wolff expressly praised Vettel: "Sebastian is a great driver, a great personality and an asset to every Formula 1 team." Mercedes could use Vettel as a leverage in negotiations with Hamilton and Bottas. The German factor is also very appealing to the car maker. The last German pilot to date with the German factory team was Nico Rosberg, who had resigned after his first and only World Cup title at the end of 2016.

The Silver Arrows know what they have about the dazzling defending champion from England and his conflict-free helper from Finland. At the same time, six-time world champion Hamilton and four-time world champion Vettel appreciate each other. For Formula 1, such a driver pairing would be a mega coup. After two exhausting seasons on Charles Leclerc's side, would the German really expose himself to internal competition with the British alpha animal?

FERRARI

Charles Leclerc is the future of Scuderia. We are now looking for the co-worker for the Monegasque region, bound until the end of 2024. The big surprise would be Lewis Hamilton. Mercedes has become his motorsport home since he switched to the 2013 season as the successor to Michael Schumacher. The Briton repeatedly emphasizes his loyalty to the Silver Arrows - and also to team boss Toto Wolff. The Austrian is now also an investor in the sports car manufacturer Aston Martin and is faced with speculation that he could leave as a managing director. Change was "sometimes a good thing," said Hamilton in winter. That could also apply to the six-time world champion.

Hamilton met twice with Fiat President John Elkann last year. Ferrari President Louis Camilleri said Elkann and Hamilton have "some mutual friends". However, it is not obvious that Ferrari should treat itself to an expensive superstar alongside Leclerc in the Corona crisis. More likely, however, are younger and cheaper options such as Carlos Sainz (25 / McLaren) or Antonio Giovinazzi (26 / Alfa Romeo). Daniel Ricciardo (30 / Renault) and Bottas (30 / Mercedes) are also traded. The two-time world champion Fernando Alonso (38), who resigned at the end of 2018, has already failed on his title mission with the Scuderia, Nico Hülkenberg (32) is in the middle of a break. Mick Schumacher (21) is still active in Formula 2, but his name alone inspires the imagination of Ferrari fans.

RED BULL

From 2010 to 2013 Sebastian Vettel won all World Cup titles with Red Bull. After a season and an internal defeat against Daniel Ricciardo, the Hesse left the racing team and went to Ferrari. Red Bull is now completely tailored to Max Verstappen (22), who has a contract until the end of 2023. Vettel should not want to do the duel with another tough young pilot after Leclerc. The Red Bull box office is also empty for a second star pilot. "We simply cannot afford two top stars," said motorsport consultant Helmut Marko recently and ruled out a change from Vettel. Red Bull is also not dissatisfied with the young and inexpensive Alexander Albon (26) from his own offspring.

MCLAREN

The former world champion team McLaren is still in the process of restructuring - but things are looking up. Last but not least, team boss Andreas Seidl has a big part in this. Passauer and Vettel have valued each other since their time together at BMW-Sauber when the racing driver made his Formula 1 debut in the US in 2007. Does Heppenheimer alone have mutual respect? After six years without a World Championship title with Ferrari, does he want to make a fresh start with a team that cannot guarantee the fight for victory or even title? McLaren last won a 2012 Brazilian Grand Prix through Jenson Button. Perhaps Seidl and McLaren can awaken Vettel's ambition for a very special motorsport adventure in the autumn of his career.

Homepage Sebastian Vettel

Details on Vettel on Ferrari homepage

News on Formula 1 homepage

Notice of Vettel's end of contract

Source: merkur

All sports articles on 2020-05-13

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