Only a team with deep pockets can sign Sebastian Vettel - Haas team principal Guenther Steiner

Sebastian Vettel

Only a team with deep pockets can sign Vettel - Steiner

Vettel has yet to announce his 2021 plans

Ian Parkes

Tuesday 26 May 2020 11:35 Updated: 12:19

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Haas team principal Guenther Steiner would love to sign good friend Sebastian Vettel but believes only a Formula 1 team with deep pockets could afford to do so.

Vettel is without a race seat for 2021 after he and Ferrari recently announced they would part at the end of this season.

If the four-time champion opts against retiring, then Mercedes and Renault seats appear to be Vettel's main options for continuing.

While Steiner would love to sign Vettel if he "had money", he concedes he "couldn't afford him".

Speaking on SkySports F1, Steiner added: "Sebastian, being a four-time world champion, he doesn't want to go to the midfield, I would say, anymore.

"You have a successful career, and what you don't want to do is take too many risks.

"I've got a good relationship with him but I haven't phoned him up and offered him a seat. I think somebody else with a lot deeper pockets than me will do that."

Steiner has not ruled out the possibility of offering Vettel a test day, in particular, to assess and provide feedback on the team's new car for 2022 when the latest regulation changes kick in.

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The Austrian, however, recognises, such a prospect is unlikely to be high on Vettel's list of priorities.

"Testing the '22 car, the hybrid car we are building with the big wheels, will be fantastic," added Steiner.

"I think it's difficult to do these things, just jumping in and getting an opinion, but I think he would be reluctant to do that as well because what does it do for him? Not a lot.

"He's a four-time world champion who has driven 10 to 15 years in Formula 1, and has done it all, won it all, so why would he do that?"

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