"Watch this space" - Szafnauer refuses to rule out Vettel move

Racing Point

"Watch this space" - Szafnauer refuses to rule out Vettel move

Stroll and Perez have contracts for 2021, but Vettel appears to be replacing one of the pair

Ian Parkes & Sam Hall

Friday 17 July 2020 14:04 Updated: 14:23

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Racing Point team principal Otmar Szafnauer has simply declared "watch this space" after refusing to deny rumours Sebastian Vettel is set to join in 2021.

Current drivers Sergio Perez and Lance Stroll both have contracts with the team for next season, but while Szafnauer stated "our intention is never to not honour our contracts," he would not confirm they were guaranteed their seats.

"It's tough to predict the future," said Szafnauer. "What they need to do is to do the best they can. They're contracted, and watch this space. We'll see where we go."

Stroll, the son of team owner Lawrence, appears to be more secure than his Mexican team-mate.

But the considerable sponsorship Perez has brought with him since joining from McLaren in 2014 has benefited the team greatly as it has lived on a financial knife-edge prior to Stroll's investment in 2018.

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With the rumours swirling with regard to his future, Perez has confirmed that one F1 team has made contact over his availability - understood to be Haas - while he has also received communication from teams in other series.

Asked what Perez needed to do to retain his seat, Szafnauer added: "Checo's focus really is to do the best he can this year. I think he's had two great races, coming from 17th to - he had a little bit of an accident but I do believe he should have tried to overtake Albon at the end [of the Styrian Grand Prix].

"We had the pace to do it. It didn't quite work, but Checo just has to do his best to focus on the task at hand, which is qualifying the best we can and putting in good races."

As to Vettel, Szafnauer was fulsome in his praise of the four-time F1 champion as he said: "He knows how to win, he's very competitive.

"I know him as a friend. He's a lovely guy. I've known him for a very long time. He's straightforward, very honest, and could be very fast."

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