Sebastian Vettel Leaving Ferrari After 2020 F1 Season

Sebastian Vettel (GER), Ferrari celebrates on the podium after winning the race at the Formula 1 Singapore Grand Prix 2019. Photo by Phil Duncan/ProSports/Shutterstock (10420758aj)

German Formula One driver Sebastian Vettel and Ferrari are going their separate ways after this season. Ferarri confirmed on Tuesday that 2020 will be Vettel’s last with the team as two sides couldn’t agree on a contract extension.

Vettel expressed optimism last month that he’ll get a new contract soon, but talks didn’t go as expected. Ferrari reportedly did make him an offer, but the one-year deal with reduced salary didn’t appeal to the 32-year-old.

“This is a decision taken jointly by ourselves and Sebastian, one which both parties feel is for the best,” said Ferrari team principal Mattia Binotto in a statement confirming Vettel’s departure. “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.”

According to reports, if Vettel would have stayed with Ferrari, he would be No.2 driver on the team behind Charles Leclerc. This, and not the money, might have played into his decision to move on.

“My relationship with Scuderia Ferrari will finish at the end of 2020,” said Vettel in a statement. “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. Financial matters have played no part in this joint decision. That’s not the way I think when it comes to making certain choices, and it never will be.”

Sebastian Vettel established himself as one of the best drivers in Formula One during his time with Red Bull, winning four consecutive titles between 2010 and 2013. He departed Red Bull in 2015 to sign with Ferrari, but didn’t manage to match the previous success.

With Ferrari, Vettel failed to win a single championship, coming close in 2017 and 2018 when he was second at the end of the season. He particularly disappointed in 2019, when he got only one win and finished the year fifth, which was his worst performance since 2008.

It’s unclear whether Vettel will manage to get another job next season as there are no obvious openings in F1. Ferrari, on the other hand, might reportedly pursue McLaren’s Carlos Sainz or Renault’s Daniel Ricciardo. Both players don’t have a contract for 2021.