'Vettel has no future at Ferrari' after Sochi sacrifice

Sebastian Vettel

'Vettel has no future at Ferrari' after Sochi sacrifice

Should he leave?

Matthew Scott

Monday 30 September 2019 15:00

Red Bull motorsport advisor Dr Helmut Marko says his former charge Sebastian Vettel has "no future at Ferrari" after his treatment during the Russian Grand Prix.

Ferrari's team orders came to the fore in Sochi after Vettel qualified third, behind Lewis Hamilton and his pole-sitting team-mate Charles Leclerc.

In a pre-arranged tactic, Leclerc towed Vettel beyond Hamilton off the line, but Vettel also made it past the Monegasque and into the lead, prompting Ferrari to ask he switch back.

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However, Vettel's pace was too much for Leclerc to match, so Ferrari instead left Vettel out on worn tyres so that his teammate could undercut him in the pits, with an MGU-K failure immediately after pitting then ending Vettel's race and triggering a VSC period which saw Leclerc lose the net lead of the race to Hamilton.

"Ferrari has not managed to win with the fastest car, they sacrificed Sebastian, although he was the fastest man," Marko told Auto Bild.

"Vettel has no future at Ferrari, that's clear for me now."

Vettel reacted to his DNF by saying "bring back the fucking V12" before climbing out his car, in his latest swipe at the modern F1, with the "bullshit" plans to introduce a sprint race next year also in his sights.

"Obviously there is no option," Vettel said when asked if his desire to bring back previous machinery was a hint that he is considering his future.

"These power units are very complex from an engineering point of view very fascinating.

"But obviously I have my stand on it. I don't think it comes with a great upside for us racing and people watching.

"In that moment, obviously it was very bitter, because up to that point I thought I drove very well and it was looking like a good afternoon.

"The first reaction when the car breaks down is not always the happiest one."