As Vettel mulls his future, retirement circles
Sebastian Vettel leaves Ferrari at the end of 2020. Could this be the end of his career, when he still has so much to offer?
With Sebastian Vettel’s recent departure from Ferrari and Daniel Ricciardo snapping up the second seat at McLaren-Mercedes, the quadruple World Champion’s options for 2021 are shrinking.
Formula 1’s 2021 driver market has just exited overdrive, as Vettel left Ferrari, Sainz replaced Vettel, and Ricciardo then replaced Sainz at McLaren.
And while those changes seemed to all slip into place after Vettel’s bombshell announcement, his own definitive future in Formula 1 is less clear. “Either he ends up at Mercedes or finishes his career”, Ralf Bach, an experienced Formula 1 reporter for F1-Insider.com has said.
The move seems implausible, but Mercedes F1 boss Toto Wolff reportedly told the dpa press agency he “cannot ignore” the “asset” of Sebastian Vettel, experienced Formula 1 writer Ian Parkes reported. Both Hamilton and Bottas’ contracts end in 2020.
Experts, like experienced journalist Dieter Rencken, don’t think Mercedes is a chance at all - arguing retirement is Vettel’s only option.
And if he did end it here, the German leaves his career (potentially) hanging on the memory of an unremarkable 2019 season. (Unless he turns it all around whenever 2020 gets started).
Vettel’s fresh-faced team-mate Charles Leclerc has stolen the limelight. He produced drives defying his experience in their first season together, and eventually, the 22-year-old finished with more points, wins, and poles.
Vettel, meanwhile, made mistakes throughout 2019; spinning in Bahrain, running across the grass in Canada, crashing in Britain, and who could forget whatever brain explosion happened in Monza?
The German’s performances compared to Leclerc were below expectations, but, importantly, that doesn’t necessarily mean his time - or talent - is up. And he’s proved that before.
Vettel left Red Bull in 2014 after a season of being shown up by his new teammate Daniel Ricciardo - and how did the German respond in 2015? He won the second race of the season for Ferrari; Ricciardo secured just two podiums that year.
Who's to say Vettel can’t repeat a similar turnaround with Mercedes? He is only 33, Lewis Hamilton is 35. But, that is only if Mercedes are willing to take him, which most have labelled as implausible.
Perhaps Vettel could find success with Renault, as experienced writer Joe Saward suggests?
After all, you do only have to look to Vettel’s former team-mate Kimi Raikkonen to see how you can reinvent yourself in the midfield - the Finn has only found success, and he’s 40.