Sebastian Vettel to Mercedes: James Allison gives major update on shock F1 switch
Sebastian Vettel has been linked with a move to Mercedes after he announced he will be leaving Ferrari at the end of the 2020 Formula One season.
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Sebastian Vettel will leave Ferrari at the end of the 2020 F1 season and has been linked with a shock switch to Mercedes to partner Lewis Hamilton. But technical director James Allison thinks it would take quite a set of circumstances to see the German at the reigning champions.
Vettel will be replaced by Carlos Sainz at Ferrari with Daniel Ricciardo leaving Renault to take up the seat left by the Spaniard at McLaren.
That leaves the four-time world champion with few options as Red Bull and Racing Point are also expected to retain their drivers for 2021.
The two viable options are Renault – although Fernando Alonso has been linked with a return – or Mercedes with Valtteri Bottas and Lewis Hamilton out of contract.
The questions are over the Finnish driver with Hamilton expected to renew terms.
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And Allison thinks Mercedes have plenty of other options before they would consider Vettel as a driver for their team.
Allison said on the F1 Nation podcast: “The first and most obvious thing to say is that we have a very fine driver line-up today.
“We also have options around us that give us access to other fine drivers.
“So it’s not very easy to imagine the stars aligning in such a way as to ever make your question hypothetical.
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“I can imagine if that were ever to happen, both men would figure out a way to make it work.
“Clearly Lewis is a phenomenal driver and Sebastian has a fair few achievements under his belt as well.
“I’m sure the professionals in both of them would find a way of making it work.”
Williams driver George Russell is part of the Mercedes driver scheme which could see him replace Bottas.
And Esteban Ocon who will drive for Renault this season is also on the books of the German team.
"I said it before, Sebastian is a four-time world champion and him suddenly becoming available was unexpected and therefore it is a situation that needs to be monitored," Mercedes chief Toto Wolff told Sky Sports F1.
"Where could he potentially go? Where are we with our drivers? And what I said is that I wouldn't discount Sebastian for any seat.
"We have looked at the situation. Our priority and concentration is on our Mercedes drivers. That's Lewis, Valtteri and the juniors; [Williams driver] George Russell being one of them. Esteban, obviously, is a Renault driver today.
"And only if we can't find a solution within that group of drivers will we look elsewhere. And then obviously Sebastian is in a very good position."
The delayed 2020 F1 season is set to get underway with the first of two Austrian Grand Prix on Sunday, July 5.