LEWIS HAMILTON’S move to Ferrari could be back ON — with Sebastian Vettel poised to quit the Italian team at the end of the season.
Reports in Germany have confirmed that the four-time world champion has ended contract negotiations with Ferrari chiefs.
Sebastian Vettel is set to quit Ferrari with Lewis Hamilton’s future still up in the airCredit: Getty Images
It is a huge U-turn from Vettel’s comments last month when he spoke about finalising a new three-year deal.
Vettel had a huge fall-out with the Maranello-based team last season when he was outclassed by Charles Leclerc.
The 22-year-old, who won the GP3 title in 2016 and the Formula 2 title in 2017, had an impressive debut season at Ferrari, winning the team’s home GP at Monza.
While Leclerc’s is the team’s new poster boy, Vettel’s form plunged and the 32-year-old is now searching for a new seat for 2021.
His departure reopens the potential for Hamilton to join Ferrari, as the Brit’s contract with Mercedes is also set to expire at the end of this year.
In December, Ferrari openly admitted they had spoken with the six-time world champion.
Hamilton has since played down suggestions he wants to leave Mercedes. However, his own future still hangs in the balance.
The Brit had stressed that his new contract was not about money and that he was committed to the Silver Arrows to be part of their “legacy” until 2039.
But his future is also connected to Mercedes’ motorsport boss Toto Wolff.
Wolff’s contract is also due to expire in December and his position within the team is unknown, as he has strengthened his financial ties with Aston Martin, who will take over Racing Point in 2021.
Should Hamilton be concerned that Wolff would leave his role at Mercedes, he could in turn decide to join Ferrari in one last hurrah in a glittering F1 career.
Hamilton is already hunting down Ferrari and F1 legend Michael Schumacher’s total of seven world titles.
Were he to win a seventh — or eighth — F1 crown with the Italian team, he would cement his place as the sport’s most successful driver in history.
Meanwhile, Vettel had hoped to emulate his hero Schumacher at Ferrari but currently has just 14 wins in 102 races for the Scuderia.
Lewis Hamilton test drives the new Mercedes F1 car in Barcelona
Source: Motorsport - thesun.co.uk
