Alonso or Hamilton to replace Vettel if he leaves Red Bull
If he asserts that not only contractual links but also loyalty and friendship unite Sebastian Vettel with Red Bull, Dietrich Mateschitz, owner of the Austrian team, would understand, however, if the German someday desires to race for Ferrari, which would then open the door to a possible arrival of Lewis Hamilton or Fernando Alonso to Milton Keynes.
Subject to rumors and/or fantasies, the arrival of Sebastian Vettel at Ferrari, in the short or long term, occasionally enlivens the life of the paddock and generates a lot of ink, despite repeated denials from both parties involved.
After Christian Horner, director of the Austrian team, recently stated that without a shadow of a doubt, Sebastian Vettel will be part of the Red Bull Racing team in 2014, it is now Dietrich Mateschitz’s turn to speak in the Austrian newspaper Salzburger Nachrichten about the rumors surrounding the now triple world champion, whom he believes is one of the three best drivers currently on the grid [with Alonso and Hamilton, editor’s note], notably highlighting that he is the youngest of the three and there is certainly potential for further developments.
If the Austrian thinks that Sebastian Vettel may be close to his zenith in terms of speed and that with more experience, he can certainly continue to improve again and again, he knows his driver is coveted but is not worried about Sebastian Vettel’s future at Milton Keynes: There are not only contracts, but he is bound with us by loyalty as well as by friendship. But that does not prevent him from receiving offers from other teams.
Among them, the German has never hidden his attraction—shared by the Scuderia—for Ferrari, something Dietrich Mateschitz can understand: « If I were a driver, I would probably appreciate the thought of driving for Ferrari one day. It’s not only natural but quite legitimate. » But if Sebastian Vettel ever decided to leave, the Austrian is not worried about finding a successor: « If he were ever to leave us, we would wish him all the best, and then nothing would stop Alonso or Hamilton from driving for us, » even if the former is tied to Ferrari until 2016 and the latter to Mercedes until 2015.
