Vettel’s move fuels speculation about where he might settle and who will replace him at Scuderia.
Sebastian Vettel has won four world Formula 1 driving championships with Red Bull, and he won another championship with Ferrari. And the champion is on the move again–in a different way. On Tuesday, Vettel announced that he would not return to the Italian team next season.
Sebastian Vettel: What has been happening these past few months has led many of us to reflect on what our real priorities in life are. One needs to use imagination and adopt a new approach to a situation that has changed. I will take the time I need to reflect on what really matters when it comes to my future.
No matter what the German decides to do, his decision will have a significant impact on the Formula 1 grid. And that doesn’t automatically mean that Vettel will wind up with another team. Because a salary cap could be in place in a year or so, many experts believe that Vettel could walk away from the sport after the adjusted 2020 season is over.
If Vettel returns in 2021, could it be for a second hitch with Red Bull? While that might be appealing to some, it doesn’t seem logical. Dutchman, Max Verstappen, is the top driver there now. Young and brash, Verstappen has yet to his stride. Red Bull doesn’t need two tough drivers racing each other.
What’s the future hold for Sebastian Vettel? (photo, MotorSport)
And who might replace Vettel at Ferrari? Lewis Hamilton has won six world titles and could win a seventh, and possibly more. Rumors have linked Hamilton’s future with Ferrari, but it’s more likely that the Brit will re-sign with Mercedes. A plus in that regard is that Hamilton gets along with his Finnish teammate, Valtteri Bottas.
Carlos Sainz, now is at McLaren, could be another possible choice, but it is hard to see him with the new Mercedes powerplant engine replacing the French Renault one next year. And would the Spaniard want to team up with Charles Leclerc, who is the main reason why Ferrari is entrusting his future with the team and not Vettel’s? A better option for Sainz might be settling with the Woking team. Plus, he gets along with teammate Lando Norris, who needs many more years before he is a contender for the championship.
Another possible chance for Ferrari is Daniel Ricciardo, who’s half Italian, and is also a good publicity man. The Aussie knows Leclerc very well, too; both live in Monaco. But the big question is whether they could drive together and win titles without trouble. Yet, Ricciardo knows that the Ferrari engine is much better than his current Renault one–and if Ricciardo doesn’t get the job and someone (like Sainz) does–then Ricciardo could easily jump to McLaren and partner Norris.
That would make Renault a good chance for Vettel. But if Ricciardo goes, is Vettel willing to take a pay-cut? That’s the likely outcome because the French team is in a cost-cutting mode due to lost automobile sales from the pandemic.
What we know for sure is that Vettel made the first move. It might be reasonable to expect that he’ll own the second move, too. The odds are that until Vettel plays that hand, nobody else will throw their chips into this high-stakes game.
