No McLaren! Vettel plays poker: Mercedes or retirement

Ralf Bach | 13. May 2020 , 19:57 Uhr

After the separation of Ferrari and Sebastian Vettel, the events on the Formula 1 transfer market are overturned. As of this morning, McLaren-Mercedes was still the safe option for the man from Heppenheim to continue his career in Formula 1 in 2021. But during one afternoon everything changed.

F1-Insider.com has now learned: The four-time world champion from Germany does not want to do any development work in the autumn of his career and wait three years to get back into a winning car. This is the time the British team claims to need to get back on the winning road with the Mercedes engines (from 2021). This is what Vettel shared with McLaren today.

The Heppenheimer is now determined to play poker: Either he ends up at Mercedes or finishes his career. Background: Both the contract of superstar Lewis Hamilton and that of his Finnish team-mate Valtteri Bottas expire at the Silver Arrows this year. Vettel speculates in particular on the seat of the Finn, since Hamilton’s extension is only a matter of form, according to Mercedes.

McLaren is about to sign a contract with the Australian Daniel Ricciardo. The deal should be perfect by this weekend. Vettel’s former teammate from Red Bull does not want to stay with Renault after two years and is said to have offered himself to McLaren. Ricciardo will replace the Spaniard Carlos Sainz, who is to be announced as Vettel’s successor at Ferrari in the next days.