F1: Ferrari-Vettel, a divorce that leaves Carlos Sainz one step away from the 'Scuderia'

“There is no common desire to continue together,” says the tetracampen, to whose place the Spanish aspires, who ends his contract at McLaren.

Ferrari and Sebastian Vettel confirmed first thing on Tuesday what was long ago for sure in the paddock of Formula 1. The world champion did not renew his contract, which expires at the end of this season, after alleging that “there is no common desire to stay together”.

“Financial affairs have played no role in this joint decision. I do not think it is the way to make certain decisions and never will be,” explains the 32-year-old German, in a statement that has brought a breath of vitality to the delicate atmosphere of the Great Circus.

Mattia Binotto, Ferrari's boss, influenced this aspect by mutual agreement between both parties. “It was not an easy decision, given his category as a pilot and as a person. There was no specific reason, except for the fact that we will both go our separate ways to achieve his goals,” the executive said.

“Priorities in life”

The poor results of Vettel, who since his arrival in 2015 could only add 14 victories in 101 races with Ferrari, have precipitated his farewell. In the last season I even lost the internal battle with Charles Leclerc, who surpassed him by 24 points in the classification. Far from autocratic, 'Seb' has explained his decision based on the hard months of the Covid-19 pandemic, which have allowed him to “reflect on what our real priorities in life are.”

As for his future in Formula 1, where he debuted at the 2007 US GP at the wheel of a Sauber, he preferred to be cautious: “I take the time to reflect on what really matters.”

On Vettel's options for the 2020 World Cup, Binotto offered an encouraging message: “We can get a lot out of this unusual season.” Perhaps too optimistic for a championship wrapped in countless turmoil. In the absence of an official confirmation from Liberty Media, the first two races could be held on 5 and 12 of the Austrian circuit in Spielberg.

The best placed

Pending the start of the World Cup, Ferrari's options to find a substitute for Vettel go through Carlos Sainz. The Madrileo, 25, ends his contract in December with McLaren and is emerging as a candidate more than ready to compete with Leclerc.

Sainz's strength and intelligence to manage the races made him the main protagonist of the resurgence of his team in 2019, where he finished sixth in the World Cup and took the podium at the Brazilian GP. His great performances earned him the favor of the fans and he was chosen the third best driver of the year, only behind Max Verstappen (Red Bull) and Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes).

Fewer options seem to handle now Daniel Ricciardo and Antonio Giovinazzi, who did not know how to specify their candidacies in the past. The 30-year-old Australian lost steam in 2019 with Renault, although he has plenty of experience to deal with difficult situations, as demonstrated in Red Bull against Verstappen. For his part, the Italian is a man of the house in Maranello, where he has been a tester since 2016. However, his discreet performance last year at the wheel of the Alfa Romeo plays against him.