Vettel to Ferrari rumours dismissed by Red Bull's Mateschitz
Dietrich Mateschitz and other paddock figures have rejected speculation that Sebastian Vettel could soon leave Red Bull for Ferrari, calling such a move 'absurd' while Alonso remains at Maranello.
Dietrich Mateschitz has dismissed mounting speculation that Sebastian Vettel could leave Red Bull for Ferrari in the near future, calling the idea “absurd” given the current situation at Maranello and Vettel’s contract status.
Mateschitz, the Red Bull owner, told Austrian media after Vettel’s third world championship in 2012 that while every driver dreams of Ferrari, any talk of an imminent move was “complete nonsense”. He pointed to Fernando Alonso’s position as Ferrari’s lead driver, making the prospect of Vettel joining the Italian team at that time “absurd”.
Vettel himself confirmed that he was committed to Red Bull until at least the end of 2014, stating he was “extremely happy” with his current team and saw no reason to consider a change. Mateschitz acknowledged that, while Ferrari’s appeal is undeniable for any driver, Red Bull would not try to keep Vettel against his wishes if he ever decided to leave. But for now, both parties were clear that the relationship would continue.
Why a Ferrari move made little sense in 2012
The Ferrari speculation gathered pace after Vettel’s run of titles, but several experienced paddock voices questioned its logic. Former F1 driver Gerhard Berger argued that Vettel had every reason to stay put, given Red Bull’s performance and his own success. Berger told APA that it would be “crazy” for Vettel to consider leaving as long as Red Bull continued to provide a championship-winning car.
Bernie Ecclestone, then F1’s chief executive and a close associate of Vettel, said he would be shocked if Vettel left Red Bull, highlighting both the team’s competitiveness and Vettel’s happiness there. Ecclestone even suggested Vettel could spend his entire career with the team if the conditions remained right.
Contract and team dynamics
The main obstacle to any immediate Ferrari switch was Vettel’s contract, which ran through 2014, and the existing line-up at Maranello. With Alonso firmly established as Ferrari’s number one, there was little incentive for either party to force a change. Mateschitz admitted that contracts should not be used to keep a driver against his will, but insisted there was no sign of dissatisfaction from Vettel or reason to negotiate an early exit.
For more on the context of Red Bull and Ferrari driver moves during this period, seeHorner Says No to Ferrari Switch
Expert consensus: no switch imminent
The consensus among Red Bull management, former drivers and F1 leadership in late 2012 and early 2013 was that Vettel’s future lay firmly with Red Bull, at least for the medium term. While the Ferrari dream holds long-term appeal for many drivers, the combination of a strong contract, Red Bull’s performance and Ferrari’s existing line-up meant any move was off the table for the foreseeable future.
