Are negotiations between Scuderia Ferrari and Sebastian Vettel for a possible contract extension soon reaching the next stage?
After the Italian daily newspaper “Gazzetta dello Sport” recently published speculations that the German driver rejected a first offer from the Maranello team, F1-Insider.com has now learned that Scuderia Ferrari team principal Mattia Binotto is ready to offer Sebastian Vettel a multi-year contract for at least two seasons (possibly plus options too).
However, the salary should continue to be drastically reduced due to the Corona pandemic. Sebastian Vettel currently allegedly earns more than 30 million euros per year.
The German driver’s contract expires at the end of the year. Daniel Ricciardo (Renault) and Carlos Sainz (McLaren) have already positioned themselves as potential successors. Ricciardo would be just like Sainz: “Daniel’s contract ends in 2020, so he’s free,” reveals Renault consultant Alain Prost at Canal Plus – “We don’t have the cards in our hands, so we have no option.”
Experts like ex-team boss Eddie Jordan, on the other hand, believe that Lewis Hamilton could replace the German at Ferrari if Mercedes decides not to continue in Formula One. But for that moment that seems unlikely. As of now, Sebastian Vettel is Ferrari’s first option. And Mattia Binotto’s statements on the Formula 1 website go well with this: “Seb is an authentic and sincere person. He loves his job, he really loves it, and that’s one of the reasons why we at Ferrari appreciate him so much.” – the Ferrari boss said.
The drop in salary, however, also shows the basic attitude of Scuderia Ferrari, as the Maranello team will be hoping that Sebastian Vettel really does want the honor to be allowed to drive for the most legendary racing team of all.
