Both AlphaTauri’s Franz Tost and Jenson Button have spoken about the post-Ferrari future of Sebastian Vettel in F1 or beyond.
The last two years at Ferrari for Vettel has been tough. In just 42 races, the German had a litany of mistakes at Monza in 2018, Suzuka in 2018, Germany in 2018, France in 2018, Baku in 2018, COTA in 2018, Montreal in 2019, Silverstone in 2019, Monza in 2019, Bahrain in 2019, and COTA in 2019, to name a few.
Such errors, many of which were arguably the German’s own doing, have indicated to some that his glory days of setting fastest lap after fastest lap are in the rear-view mirror as it has been six years since his last F1 title in 2013 with Red Bull.
However, AlphaTauri team principal and the ex-boss of Vettel, Tost, has disagreed wholeheartedly with this assessment, as he rather believes that, with his departure from Ferrari, he has an opportunity to start a new, more fruitful partnership with another team.
Thus far, he has been linked to potential seat at Renault primarily, with the general consensus being that Mercedes and Red Bull are more or less off the table. There is, though, also a chance that he could be heading for retirement.
“The end of something always means the start of something,” said Tost to F1.com. “It really depends on what seat he gets. To fight for a championship, Vettel is a driver of the caliber who can do this. He is not a driver who just wants to be on the starting grid.
“If we’re doing a race now, he wants to win a race. It depends on how the ingredients he will get together to achieve the goal. From the financial side, I don’t think he needs to continue racing, but drivers who have won championships, they don’t think so much of the money. Their motivation is to win races, to be successful.
“That’s the motivation, not the money. He’s only 33-years old, he’s a very high-skilled driver, and if he gets the correct package, if he’s sitting in a Ferrari, Red Bull or Mercedes, he’s still able to win races, and I’m also quite sure he can win another championship – it depends on which team he can drive for.”
Sharing a similar opinion on the current value of Vettel, his former rival Button also spoke on the four-time world champion’s departure from Ferrari. On Twitter, the Brit had already expressed that he was ‘shocked’ – something that he elaborated on when talking to Sky Sports F1.
“If he was pushed, for me it’s madness,” said Button. “A four-time world champion! I think he showed his speed last year. He had a tough moment in the season when Charles was performing really well and I think that hurt him a little bit mentally.
“But he came back really strong, and he’s just somebody you would definitely choose to put in your car if you had an F1 team. There must be more to it. I don’t know if Ferrari is going down the route of not wanting two number one drivers or what but it’s a really strange choice for me and I’m still shocked that Sebastian won’t be in a red car.”
Even Mercedes’ chief Toto Wolff has spoken about Vettel and his talent and ability. He likes the idea of a German driver in a German car but his hands is already full with Lewis Hamilton and Valtteri Bottas, with the potential of George Russell waiting too.
Here’s what Jean Todt stated about Sebastian Vettel
Here’s Toto Wolff on Sebastian Vettel
Here’s what McLaren’s Zak Brown said about current moves
Here’s Mattia Binotto on Sebastian Vettel, Carlos Sainz and budget cap
Here’s views on decision of Sebastian Vettel
The story was edited by Darshan Chokhani