Many were surprised when Sebastian Vettel and Ferrari did not agree on terms for 2021 and beyond, culminating in the announcement that Vettel’s sixth season with Scuderia would be the last. And before the Austrian Grand Prix, Vettel spoke about the complexities of what went wrong in his negotiations with the team.
Vettel was asked for clarification before the 2020 season opener on what had been the ‘tipping point’ in his contractual talks with Ferrari, and the German caused a stir when he revealed that the team had closed negotiations with him before an offer will come to an end. has been discussed
“There was no point of conflict,” said Vettel. “It was obviously a surprise to me when I got the call from Mattia [Binotto, Ferrari Team Principal] when he told me that there was no further intention for the team to continue. We never had discussions, there was never an offer on the table, and therefore there was no point of conflict. ”
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Many had assumed, given Ferrari’s public comments regarding Vettel before the announcement, that a new signing by the German would be a formality, placing him alongside Charles Leclerc, who signed up for the team through the winter until 2024, for next year. . .
But with the door now closed at Ferrari, and Carlos Sainz of McLaren quickly signed up to replace Vettel, what kind of contractual discussions was Vettel having with teams elsewhere?
“At the moment I am not having any,” said Vettel. Looking to the future, I obviously want to make sure that I make the right decision for myself and my future. I think I have a very competitive nature, I have achieved a lot in sports.
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“I am motivated and ready to achieve more. To do it, I need the right package and the right people around me, so that’s what I’m looking for right now. If the right opportunity arises, then it’s pretty clear [what I will do]. If that’s not the case, then I’ll probably have to find something else. “
Speculation in recent months has linked Vettel with the units at Renault and Racing Point, while even Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff has sensationally not ruled out an offer for the German to join his winning team.
