F1: Vettel to reportedly leave Ferrari at the end of 2020

• Daniel Ricciardo and Carlos Sainz emerge as leading candidates to replace Vettel.

• Unlikely that Vettel will secure a seat at a top team, leaving McLaren and Renault as logical options.

In what is bound to be news that will shake up the Formula 1 drivers’ market, reports have emerged that four-time F1 world champion Sebastian Vettel will be parting ways with Ferrari at the end of this year. German publications Bild and Auto Motor und Sport have reported that talks between the two parties to renew Vettel’s contract have fallen through, with the news likely to be confirmed soon.

Vettel has been in the process of negotiating a new contract with Ferrari, as his current three-year deal expires at the end of 2020. The Maranello-based team has already locked in Vettel’s teammate Charles Leclerc till 2024.

If this news is confirmed, it will bring an end to Vettel’s six-year stint with Ferrari. While the partnership did yield 14 race wins, and Vettel even finished as runner-up twice in the championship, it was also in the spotlight due to some high-profile errors from the German driver in recent seasons. 

As per reports, Renault’s Daniel Ricciardo and McLaren’s Carlos Sainz are at the front of the line to replace Vettel at Ferrari. Lewis Hamilton’s contract with Mercedes does run out at the end of this year, but it seems unlikely that Vettel will be able to bag a seat at the top team. With Red Bull already having a long-term agreement with star driver Max Verstappen in place, this would leave Renault and McLaren as the two logical options for Vettel. Of course, there is also the possibility that Vettel could decide to retire from Formula 1 altogether and pursue racing in other championships.

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