When it was announced six years ago that he would continue his career in Ferrari, Sebastian Vettel got the chance to be in the place he dreamed of - to drive the car of the giant made famous by his idol and compatriot Michael Schumacher.
The stay at the Scuderia, after four consecutive titles and dominance in Red Bull, showed that Vettel was either burned out in his desire to "play off" Šumi or that he was simply not up to the task.
Sebastian Vettel achieved 14 victories in a Ferrari car. The German won his first victory in March 2015 at the Sepang track in Malaysia, and the last in September of last year in Singapore.
With him at the helm, Ferrari did not find a way to compete with Mercedes and Lewis Hamilton, so the news from yesterday that the cooperation is coming to an end at the end of this year did not overly surprise anyone.
- In order to achieve the best results in this sport, it is crucial that all parties work in harmony. Tim and I realized that there was no longer a mutual desire to continue together after this season, and I must say that finances did not play a role in the decision, which was mutual. That's not the way I think when I make certain decisions, nor will it ever be - said Vettel.
Sebastian Vettel won 4 titles in a row with Red Bull - he dominated from 2009 to 2012
In his first season in Ferrari, Vettel was third in the general standings, then fourth, twice second and then fifth.
There were seasons in which the Italian giant could not compete with Mercedes (it has been the best among the constructors for the last six years), and when that was the case, Vettel seemed to lose his sharpness - in key moments, even with rookie mistakes, he missed the chances that a driver of his caliber you shouldn't...
It is speculated that Vettel did not want to sign a new contract and agree to be the team's second driver from Maranello, behind Charles Leclerc, and that this hastened the decision to leave the Scuderia.
- Ferrari has a special place in Formula 1 and I hope it will have the success it deserves. Thanks to everyone in the Ferrari family - said the 32-year-old from Heppenheim.
The Italian media report that Vettel's status in the team has changed significantly with the departure of boss Maurizio Arivabene and that Ferrari now has a plan to throw all the cards at Leclerc, who made the most of his chance in the first season after arriving from Sauber.
There is also speculation that Vettel has offers from Renault and McLaren, and it is not excluded that he will finish his career in Formula 1. On the other hand, Carlos Sainz should succeed him at Ferrari.
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