Sebastian Vettel assures he has not signed anything with Ferrari for 2014
The double reigning world champion refutes all rumors sending him to Ferrari in 2014. The German further assures that he doesn't want to think about his future yet and hints that he will prioritize performance over prestige when the time comes to consider post-2013 plans.
Now that Mark Webber has extended his contract with Red Bull for 2013, it’s Sebastian Vettel’s turn to be the subject of speculation sending him towards Maranello at the end of his own contract with the Austrian team, at the end of 2013. The German, however, denies any link with the Maranello team. Thus, when a journalist from Bild “subtly” asks the reigning double world champion if he has any red-colored clothing in his wardrobe, Sebastian Vettel is not fooled: « OK, I see where you’re going with this. Well, I don’t have any Ferrari outfit at all. » This confirms the recent statements of Christian Horner, director of the Red Bull team, who assured having discussed with Sebastian Vettel: « He clearly told me that there were no discussions and that he hadn’t signed anything with Ferrari. »
If the Red Bull driver has never hidden his ambition to one day join the Maranello team, the same is true for the Italian management, which rarely misses an opportunity to highlight the talent of the Heppenheim native: « I am honored that Stefano Domenicali and Luca di Montezemolo said they could see me as a Ferrari driver, but that’s all. The truth is I haven’t signed anything and I haven’t shaken hands with anyone. If you asked the twenty-four drivers on the grid if they would like to be at Ferrari at some point in their career, they would all answer in the affirmative. It’s just a great team, but everything has to come together. Who knows, maybe when it does, I’ll suddenly go elsewhere. »
But for the German, more than the prestige associated with this or that team, performance seems to be his primary concern: « I may never go anywhere else simply because there might be nothing better than Red Bull. »
For this reason, Sebastian Vettel claims not to have made plans for after 2013: “I have enough things to think about this year […] because it’s already hard enough to defend my title this season. I can’t – and won’t – worry about what might happen in a few years. It’s much, much too early to think about the 2014 F1 season.”
But the Red Bull driver, who will try to secure his first home victory this weekend, does not deny being in contact with the Italian team: « There are always contacts, but talking with Stefano Domenicali in the paddock doesn’t necessarily mean I will drive for him. »
