Official: Sebastian Vettel will leave Ferrari at the end of the year
It was through a press release that Scuderia announced this morning that Sebastian Vettel will no longer be part of the team next year.
The rumor had been circulating for some time, but it’s now official: after six years in red, the four-time German world champion will not continue the adventure with the Reds.
Some Italian media reported a few weeks ago in the press that the negotiations between Sebastian Vettel and Scuderia Ferrari were complicated. Indeed, compared to his current contract, the contract offer made to the German was significantly lower in terms of salary. Ferrari justified this salary reduction by expressing a desire to cut expenses due to the coronavirus crisis.
The Maranello firm had already extended the contract of its other driver, Charles Leclerc, until 2024. He then became the driver with the longest contract in the F1 paddock.
This announcement will therefore have the effect of a bomb in the F1 world, particularly regarding transfers. Numerous rumors suggested that Renault would welcome the four-time world champion joining their team. Indeed, Daniel Ricciardo may have desires elsewhere and would likely not refuse a seat that would bring him closer to the podiums.
Another possibility mentioned in recent days could lead to McLaren and its Spanish driver Carlos Sainz. He is also out of contract at the end of the year and is seen as a favorite in the race for the vacant Ferrari seat. Scuderia Ferrari would favor the Sainz option for budgetary reasons, as the Spaniard would indeed be less “demanding” in terms of salary.
Sebastian Vettel dreamed of winning his 5th world championship title with Ferrari, just like his idol Michael Schumacher. But to date, this ambition seems quite illusory, with 14 victories with Ferrari and two second-place finishes in the world championship standings behind Lewis Hamilton. The German will have one last chance this year to win the title with Ferrari.
His future ex-teammate, in the person of Charles Leclerc, wanted to address a few words to him: « It was a great honor for me to be your teammate. We experienced moments of tension on the track, some very good and others that did not end as we wanted. But there was always respect, even if it wasn’t perceived that way from the outside. I have never learned as much as I did with you as a teammate. Thank you for everything Seb ».
The Formula 1 season has not yet started, but one thing is certain, there will be some excitement within the teams, and a vacant seat at Ferrari won’t stay vacant for long. It should also be noted that Lewis Hamilton’s contract expires at the end of the year, and no contract extension has been signed with Mercedes yet.
