On Tuesday, Scuderia Ferrari confirmed that four-time world champion Sebastian Vettel will not return to the team after the 2020 season.
Vettel, 32, is unsure where he will race in 2021 if he races at all. But this separation from the Italian team leaves open one of Formula 1’s most coveted seats.
Last summer, there were rumors that Red Bull Racing’s young star Max Verstappen and Vettel could swap rides. It seemed plausible as Vettel won his four titles with Red Bull, and for Verstappen, he would be in a slightly faster car with Ferrari making him a stronger title contender.
Verstappen, however, extended his contract with Red Bull until 2023. So scratch his name out.
The two big names on the grid that are in contract years this season are six-time champion Lewis Hamilton of Mercedes and Daniel Ricciardo of Renault.
Hamilton hasn’t particularly denied that he could drive for the Scuderia at some point in his career. However, with the historic amount of success he has enjoyed with Mercedes, it seems unlikely right now that he would leave the Silver Arrows.
Ricciardo, on the other hand, is entering the second year of a two-year deal at Renault. The Australian left Red Bull after 2018 thinking that Renault could be a top team in the near future. But he wouldn’t have to wait to see the result very long if he were to sign with Ferrari, which can contend for Grand Prix victories.
Could Fernando Alonso be considered a candidate? There has been speculation that he wants to return to the grid. The Spaniard has been checking items off the racing bucket list since leaving F1 after 2018 and has participated in the Dakar Rally, the 24-hour races at Daytona and Le Mans, and a second Indianapolis 500 qualifying attempt so far.
Last season, Vettel’s lone win was at the Singapore Grand Prix. He earned nine podiums and finished fifth in the championship altogether while his teammate Charles Leclerc won two races and 10 podiums. At age 22, he’s widely seen as the future of the red squad.
Team Principal Mattia Binotto said in a release there was not a particular reason that led to the separation; he said it would just be for the best.
“It was not an easy decision to reach, given Sebastian’s worth as a driver and as a person. There was no specific reason that led to this decision, apart from the common and amicable belief that the time had come to go our separate ways in order to reach our respective objectives,” he said.
Vettel said: “In order to get the best possible results in this sport, it’s vital for all parties to work in perfect harmony. The team and I have realized that there is no longer a common desire to stay together beyond the end of this season. … What’s been happening in these past few months has led many of us to reflect on what are our real priorities in life. One needs to use one’s imagination and to adopt a new approach to a situation that has changed. I myself will take the time I need to reflect on what really matters when it comes to my future.
“Scuderia Ferrari occupies a special place in Formula 1, and I hope it gets all the success it deserves. … My immediate goal is to finish my long stint with Ferrari, in the hope of sharing some more beautiful moments together, to add to all those we have enjoyed so far.”
