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'Ferrari offer Vettel $138m, three-year deal'

Published on 20 Jul 2017 11:23
17
By: Fergal Walsh

Sebastian Vettel's future has been pondered for some time now, as the German's deal with Ferrari is set to run out at the end of the season. Vettel joined Ferrari for the start of the 2015 season on a three-year deal, which will run its course this year.

There have been whispers linking him to a Mercedes seat for 2018, however, with Lewis Hamilton having one year left on his deal and Valtteri Bottas looking like he will be retained, Ferrari looks like where Vettel's future will lie.

Ferrari's president Sergio Marchionne has previously stated that if Vettel wishes to stay at the team, they would have no hesitation in entering negotiations. Now it seems the four-time world champion is likely to sign a three-year deal, worth $138 million.

It is still not clear who will take up the seat beside Vettel at Ferrari for next season, but in Austria, the 30-year-old stated that he very much wishes for Kimi Raikkonen to stay. Whether Vettel's input has any value remains to be seen, with Raikkonen also currently out of contract for next season.

Fergal Walsh

mbmwe36

Posts: 533

I agree with Wolfgang. And that is just to name a few. Hamilton is very overrated IMO.

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Jul 20 2017 - 13:21

F1 News Valtteri Bottas Lewis Hamilton Sebastian Vettel Kimi Räikkönen Ferrari Mercedes

Replies (17)

talktohenry

Posts: 362
It's a lot of coins, but he's one...... of the few who can take on and beat Hamilton, if he has the right car.....
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- Jul 20 2017 - 11:32
- Wolfgang
  
  Posts: 313
  i bet Verstappen, Ricciardo, Alonso could do aswell...
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  Jul 20 2017 - 12:24
- mbmwe36
  
  Posts: 533
  I agree with Wolfgang. And that is just to name a few. Hamilton is very overrated IMO.
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  Jul 20 2017 - 13:21
- calle.itw
  
  Posts: 8,527
  Im inclined to agree, MBMWE36. Hamilton is good, maybe even great, but he is not the best driver around.
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  Jul 20 2017 - 18:10
mbmwe36

Posts: 533
Mercedes world drop Bottas in a heartbeat if Vettel decides he'd like to make the switch.
Vettel seems to be living his lifelong dream driving for Ferrari, but at the end of the day, it's about winning and it's about championships. Even though it pains me, I could see him make the switch if he doesn't win the championship this year.
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- Jul 20 2017 - 11:35
- calle.itw
  
  Posts: 8,527
  A switch to become Hamilton´s number 2 driver, from a team built around Vettel to a team now built around Hamilton? No, I dont think that'll happen.
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  Jul 20 2017 - 18:11
- mbmwe36
  
  Posts: 533
  What makes you think he'd become the number 2 driver? In my opinion he'd smoke Hamilton if they were both driving the same car.
  It's all speculation, but as dominant as mercedes has been forever now, I could see Vettel making that move, if he doesn't win with Ferrari this year. Plus the best German driver since Schumacher in the most dominant (German) team in recent history? That seems like a lay-up to me.
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  Jul 20 2017 - 19:40
- calle.itw
  
  Posts: 8,527
  What I mean is that if Vettel want to go to Mercedes, Hamilton would never let him in unless he'd be willing to be a number 2 driver. Ham has made sure that he get the primary attention there. Im sure Mercedes wouldnt mind having him on board, but Mercedes doesnt also not want another Rosberg vs Hamilton situation, with 2 drivers battling for the number 1 spot, and that would happen with Vet and Ham in the same team.
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  Jul 21 2017 - 17:06
f1fan0101

Posts: 1,804
Hopefully he'll commit ong term to Ferrari
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- Jul 20 2017 - 11:45
krommenaas

Posts: 155
Ferrari could probably get Alonso for 100 million $ less at this point :)
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- Jul 20 2017 - 14:23
- Wolfgang
  
  Posts: 313
  don´t think Fernando is going to race for something like 8-10mln a year..
  And i think Ferrari don´t want Fernando any more.. He gave everything to hold up Vettel and Raikkonen in the last two/three years..
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  Jul 20 2017 - 14:32
Tifoso-01

Posts: 3,740
I don't understand why Ferrari is always holding on champs or ex champs.
They better watch young drivers like Max, I am sure that he is better than him now allready (see britisch GP)
In the same equipment he would certainly beat him and so would Ric do.
So why are they giving him such a long term deal ????
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- Jul 20 2017 - 15:02
- Wolfgang
  
  Posts: 313
  Because Seb is doing the job and has a certain history. Remember last year Monaco and Verstappen? Plus the fact that your thesis is also only theory.
  So i agree that the young guns are very good yes, but Seb is also able to do the job AND he proved not only once to work well under pressure. Like 2012 brazil, remember?
  These are things they consider in big teams.. Just like Merc did with Bottas and not Wehrlein or Ocon..
  
  Furthermore you have a certain aspect of a good climate in a team. No team on this planet fancy a climate like it was at Merc from 2014-2106... So when you know it works well with Seb & Kimi and Seb is leading the championship although Merc has a better car why not stick to it? Verstappen/Ricciardo would be a big gamble for them i think..
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  Jul 20 2017 - 15:54
Tifoso-01

Posts: 3,740
Wolfgang:
I have to disagree with you and I would like to advise you to read the article on the german website auto-und motorsport.de what Gerhard Berger has to say about Max.
Seb was lucky to have the best car in the field for 4 years long and there fore he could quite simply become the champ without to much pressure from others.
Today we can see that he really becomes irritated when he feels pressure from others.
Concerning Max and Monaco,well that hurdle he has taken succesfully this year.
And by the way, Max and Dan get along very well with each other just like Seb and Kimi.
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- Jul 20 2017 - 17:28
Tifoso-01

Posts: 3,740
Wolfgang: I disagree with you and would like to advise you to read the Gerhard Berger article on the german site auto und motorsport.de what he has to say about Max.
Seb was 4 times the champ in the most dominant car RB in those days (like Merc has now) so he had hardly much pressure from others.
Now when under pressure he becomes quite often irritated while Max has showed many times he can handle that(last year Barcelona 20 laps holding off Kimi).
And concerning Monaco has has learned after 2015 and 16 and delivered a good job this year.
By the way Max and Dan get along very well with each other like Seb and Kimi so would not be a big problem as well.
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- Jul 20 2017 - 18:09
- Wolfgang
  
  Posts: 313
  sorry you got me wrong there..
  
  i wanted to say that the climate would change if there was Vet and Ver/Ric at Ferrari. Ver/Ric get along now as it seems but i bet all i´ve got that it´s going to be much dirtier when they´d fight for championships..
  
  Vettel had a good car in his RedBull years, yes, but remember his win at Monza? This was where his class came out.. Remember him leading the championship in 2010 only in the last race? So all in all i´d say he´s a top class driver AND he had very MUCH pressure in Abu Dhabi in 2010 where everything could´ve gone wrong for him.
  The opponents had been Hamilton, Webber and Alonso in that case..
  
  Same thing with pressure was the 2012 championship where it was all on the edge after Turn 4 in Brazil, and he did a masterclass drive in the rain from last to i think 4th or something just enough to edge Fernando out..
  
  Thus i don´t quite get your point there.
  
  I don´t want to criticise Verstappen, i quite like him, and i think he is definetely one of the best as he outpaced Ric several times now, and i consider Ric as a very good driver too.. Like Vettel, Hamilton and Schumacher Verstappen proved to be one of the best in tricky conditions, but his approach is to be No1 in the team. Same like Hamilton, Vettel, Alonso.. So combining those personas together in one team is not a very smart move by a team like Ferrari / Mercedes.. They all know what happened with Senna/Prost, Hamilton/Alonso and Rosberg/Hamilton and even with Vettel/Webber..
  
  Maybe you get me a little bit better now..
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  Jul 21 2017 - 06:45
- calle.itw
  
  Posts: 8,527
  I agree with Wolfgang. Furthermore, while I think Ves is a good driver, Im not sure if he is a good fit there. And even then, Marko doesnt want to let his posterboy go, he has been very clear on that.
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  Jul 21 2017 - 17:09