Sebastian Vettel to Racing Point: 'Little doubt' in paddock F1 move on after Ferrari exit
Sebastian Vettel is expected to join Racing Point next season and Sky Sports F1 expert Ted Kravitz has offered his insight.
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Sebastian Vettel is set to seal a move to Racing Point with F1 expert Ted Kravitz revealing there is "little doubt" in the paddock that a deal is on the cards. Vettel will leave Ferrari this winter after the Italians opted against offering him a new contract.
Racing Point have emerged as his most likely destination after Mercedes, Red Bull, Renault and McLaren all closed the door on the 33-year-old.
The Silverstone-based team are set to be rebranded as Aston Martin next season and owner Lawrence Stroll has big plans for their future.
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Vettel is expected to take the seat of Sergio Perez, who was forced to sit out last Sunday's British Grand Prix after testing positive for COVID-19.
Kravitz, who was in the paddock at Silverstone, has now revealed there's a growing expectation behind the scenes that the much-talked-about switch is set to be confirmed.
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"Did you think it was an interesting sort of elbow bump between Sebastian Vettel and Lawrence Stroll, the owner of the Racing Point team? I thought it was," said Kravitz on Sky Sports F1, in reference to Vettel and Stroll being spotted together in the pits before the race.
"The rumour was, at the beginning of the weekend, that we might get an announcement that a deal had been done for Seb to join Racing Point next year - on a multi-year contract - which becomes Aston Martin.
"Then the Sergio Perez - COVID-19 positive test came through and it was clear that there wasn't going to be any kind of announcement. I think they wouldn't do that to Sergio.
"I think maybe the deal isn't properly done but it does seem that we've had movement this weekend on that. There seems to be little doubt in this paddock now that Sebastian Vettel will be wearing some kind of silver, pink or green depending on who the sponsors are at Aston Martin next year.
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"I know we've all seen it coming, but that seems to be on its way to being done. Maybe you'd say with Racing Point having a good car and the rules not changing at all, [Vettel] will be a person who can get a better result out of the Racing Point than maybe poor Nico Hulkenberg [who stood in for Perez at Silverstone]. It looks like that's going to happen."
Vettel finished 10th at the British Grand Prix, a place behind the man he's expected to partner next season, Lance Stroll.
The four-time champion is 13th in the World Drivers' Championship standings with Ferrari's SF1000 a long way off the pace of Mercedes' W11.
He'll be back at Silverstone this weekend as F1 celebrates its 70th anniversary at the iconic Northamptonshire circuit.
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