Sebastian Vettel: Formula 1 at Ferrari: now the world champion is out of options

Munich – The Formula 1 racing car stand up due to Crown crisis Silent for weeks. Instead of the longest season * in history with 22 races, the World Cup could become a fast one. Traffic lights will likely turn green in early July at the earliest. Dominated before Ferrari Red. With a hammer message. Sebastián Vettel * and Scuderia will go their separate ways at the end of the year, hopefully after six seasons.

Until now, sports marriage has been shaped by several ups and downs, but many lower. the expected the world title it was still a dream. Heppenheimer was never able to follow in the footsteps of his idol Michael Schumacher, who triumphed five times in a row with the traditional team from 2000 to 2004.

Vettel says goodbye to Ferrari: Leclerc with more wins and podiums

Last year, his penultimate Ferrari, the four-time champion too often had to face his young teammate. Charles Leclerc leaves the right of way. At the end of the season, the Monaco midfielder was ahead of Vettel in the World Cup, had more wins (2: 1) and finished on the podium (10: 9). From there, it was already clear that the future belongs to 22 years. Now it is clear that Vettel will soon be a thing of the past with the Maranello team.

Of course, this fact is followed by the question: What Options What does the 32-year-old have in Formula 1 *? Or do you turn your back on the main class after 14 years? It will be clear that Vettel wants to drive a winning car, and as you know, there are not too many.

Vettel says goodbye to Ferrari: Mercedes drivers in the last year of their contract

Option 1: Mercedes. Of course, the best chance for new podium visits, ideally on the top podium, would be Mercedes Offer. The UK-based Brackley-based team has dominated Formula 1 at will since 2014 six pilot and designer titles in a row withdrawn To the annoyance of Ferrari and Vettel, who too often saw only the rear wing.

Good for Heppenheimer: the contracts of the current two Drivers Lewis Hamilton and Valtteri Bottas they expire at the end of the year. You can hardly imagine Mercedes putting Hamilton in front of the door or bringing the great adversary of recent years to his side with Vettel. There would simply be too much of an explosive in this pairing. But why should the Briton not abdicate after eight years together at the end of the season, especially when he does? seven titles of record world champion Schumacher Should I have matched?

For him Motor racing country Germany, which threatens to lose the last national Formula 1 driver, would result in a special constellation: Vettel in the Mercedes *. Of course, the decision makers at Silver Arrows couldn’t just ignore this. Austrian team boss Toto Wolff said that dpa after Vettel-Aus’s announcement at Ferrari: “Sebastian is a great driver, a great personality and an enrichment for all Formula 1 teams. Looking to the future, we are primarily committed to loyalty to our current Mercedes drivers, but we can Of course, development should not be overlooked let. “How do you say it so often in sports? A denial sounds different!

Vettel says goodbye to Ferrari: switching to McLaren is no longer an option

Option 2: McLaren. The traditional second great racing team alongside Ferrari has also had tough times. Even the big one Fernando Alonso He didn’t even drive the Woking race car to the podium in four years, fifth place was the highest of feelings for the fast and proud Spaniard. But in the end things went remarkably uphill, how about that? Change of motor partner You have to do it. Instead of Honda, whose units were the main nuisance for Alonso, he now delivers Renault the power.

Thus driven pushed the newcomers of Formula 1 Lando Norris and Carlos Sainz jr. the McLaren in the respectable fourth place in the designer ranking – the best result since 2012. Spanish now Vettel successor at Ferrari. He also finished the season in sixth place thanks to third place in the penultimate Grand Prix of the year in Brazil.

Bitter for Vettel: The empty booth at McLaren is already occupied again. Daniel Ricciardo He will switch from Renault to the British for the 2021 season.

After it became known that Sebastian Vettel was leaving Ferrari, there was much discussion about a change from German to McLaren. Vettel could have given a recovering racing team more experience. And maybe it would have been a year government revolution postponed until 2022 The team was even a surprising distance from the big three of Mercedes, Ferrari and Red Bull. Especially since the English will return next season. PS-Power Stuttgart It will begin: this combination has already won the world championship of three pilots and one of constructors.

With Andreas Seidl There is also a German in an important position at McLaren: the Passau native is the team manager. In dpa– At first, McLaren did not want to comment on Vettel’s staff, which did not necessarily slow speculation *. This is no longer necessary: Ricciardo will drive for McLaren with Lando Norris from 2021. Vettel will have to look elsewhere.

Vettel says goodbye to Ferrari: Red Bull has no need after an extra stay in Verstappen

Option 3: Red Bull. Vettel drove for the Austrians from 2009 to 2014 and dominated the racing circuit for four and a half years. Clapped with the team 38 of his 53 Grand Prix victories. A reunion of the old dream combination will almost certainly not happen. Motor Racing Director Helmut Marko He had already stated last fall that Vettel “had no relevance” to the team, according to the Contract extension by Max Verstappen at the beginning of the year the Austrian added motorsport-magazin.com then: “In extending Max, I can’t imagine two V’s with us. It’s already financially difficult. “

For some years now, Red Bull has relied exclusively on drivers who grew up in their own academy. Motto: shape the stars instead of buying. Since Vettel’s commitment in 2009 All the new pilots of the brother team Toro Rosso, starting this year under the name of Alpha Tauri, took over. That will likely continue to be the case in the future.

Vettel says goodbye to Ferrari: Renault is said to have submitted an offer

Option 4: Renault. The French are also mentioned when it comes to Vettel’s future. Noisy Sky Italia should even Offered by Renault have on hand. There after the change of Daniel Ricciardo a place has become vacant for McLaren. The Australian’s commitment before last season did not bring the expected approach to the top. Consequently, Vettel should have little interest in getting involved.

Renault is now the two-time world champion Fernando Alonso connected. The 38-year-old competed in his last Formula 1 race in 2018, but he always flirted with a return to the main motorsports class. Also, for him from 2003 to 2006 and from 2008 to 2009 for the French and he won his two World Cup titles with them (2005, 2006).

Vettel goodbye to Ferrari: reflection time, and the end of his career?

Option 5: end of degree. What seemed unthinkable at the beginning of the year could become reality. If Vettel had emphasized months ago that he felt young enough for additional years in Formula 1, it seems to him Corona crisis and its side effects have rethought. In any case, the triple father of the family is quoted in the press release for his farewell to Ferrari: “What happened in recent months has caused many of us to reflect on what really important in life is. “

The situation has changed: “I will take the time to thinkwhich is really important when deciding on my future. “So no decision is expected soon. The experiences in the season that are still taking place will also play an important role.

However, Heppenheimer is gradually running out of options. Currently there is only one vacant place in Renault. Other teams, such as Mercedes, have yet to confirm their driver pair for the 2021 season.

* Tz.de is part of the national network of publishers Ippen-Digital.

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List of rubric lists: © dpa / Matthias Oesterle