Formula 1's Latest Rumours & Talk: Sebastian Vettel, Villeneuve on Alonso, More
When a high-profile driver switch occurs in Formula One, it is always fascinating to learn how that move—a move that could define a driver's career and, in some cases, an entire period of the sport's history—came to fruition.
When did the two parties, driver and team, come into contact? How long did the negotiations last? Was the contract signed over croissants and a glass of orange juice, or was the moment when pen met paper a very formal affair?
Sebastian Vettel hasn't gone into that much detail over his move from Red Bull to Ferrari, but he has explained the steps that led to perhaps the most significant transfer in the recent history of F1, including tales of secret meetings.
Vettel's revelations dominate this week's roundup, which also includes Jacques Villeneuve's thoughts on Fernando Alonso, Ferrari's strategy ahead of the Australian Grand Prix, Giedo van der Garde's ongoing war with Sauber and Damon Hill's concerns for Max Verstappen.
Sebastian Vettel Reveals How Ferrari Switch Came to Fruition
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Even when he was scooping four consecutive world championships with Red Bull, the notion of Sebastian Vettel driving a Ferrari F1 car always felt inevitable.
And the German, ahead of his first race with his new employers, has revealed why he was always destined for a move to Ferrari, claiming that initial contact about a move took place in 2008, his first full season in the sport.
Speaking to Gazzetta dello Sport (h/t Autosport), Vettel said that he took advantage of Prancing Horse's links with Red Bull B-team Toro Rosso, who had a deal to use Ferrari engines at the time, to establish a relationship with Stefano Domenicali, Ferrari's then-team boss.
The 27-year-old stated that he and Domenicali "discussed once and again about a potential future for me at Ferrari," with an "approach"—Vettel failed to elaborate on whether it was initiated by him or the team—made in 2010, the year of his first title triumph.
Most interestingly, Vettel revealed that he "even secretly went to (Ferrari's headquarters in) Maranello" soon after his 2012 championship win to discuss a move with Luca di Montezemolo, the outfit's former president, with the German maintaining contact with the team despite the departures of the Italian and Domenicali in 2014.
Vettel, of course, also alluded to the influence of his friend Michael Schumacher, adding:
"Some time ago I told him about the chance I was offered by Stefano Domenicali.
I told him I felt honoured and he commented that, had I accepted, I would have found a good atmosphere and great enthusiasm at Maranello.
It was a dream for me. Now I'm happy I'm inside that dream.
"
Vettel to Ferrari was a move that, evidently, was always meant to be.
Jacques Villeneuve Criticises Fernando Alonso over Ferrari Exit
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Jacques Villeneuve, the 1997 world champion and professional motormouth, has condemned Fernando Alonso for showing Ferrari a lack of respect prior to his departure at the end of 2014.
After a disappointing five-year stint at the Prancing Horse which brought just 11 grand prix wins, the Spaniard left the Maranello-based outfit in the off-season season to rejoin McLaren, whom he departed under a cloud in 2007.
It has so far proved to be an ill-advised move, as Ferrari have embarked upon something of a resurgence while McLaren suffered several reliability problems with their new Honda power unit in pre-season testing.
And Villeneuve has accused Alonso—who was publicly rebuked by the Ferrari hierarchy in mid-2013—of arrogance, telling Sport Bild (h/t motorsport.com): "The Italians loved Alonso, but that love died very fast because he did not stand up for the team.
"Just because you make $30 million a year, (it) does not mean you give up the responsibility to love your team. Where was the respect?"
The Canadian referred to "Shock Saturday" at the 2014 Japanese Grand Prix—when Sebastian Vettel took the paddock by surprise by announcing his departure from Red Bull as all eyes were focused on Alonso's next move—as evidence of the two-time champion's self-importance.
He added: "I call it the 'God complex,' but just when you think you're on top of things, Vettel announced he was leaving Red Bull and the ground suddenly collapsed beneath Alonso's feet.
"He was thinking more about Twitter and being a politician than team spirit."
Ferrari to Play It Safe at Albert Park?
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Ferrari have arguably made the biggest leap in performance of any team over the winter, but the Italian team are set to play it safe in the Australian Grand Prix.
According to Gazzetta dello Sport (h/t motorsport.com), the reliability of Ferrari's updated power unit—almost certainly the reason behind the outfit's rise in competitiveness—has been called into question ahead of the opening race of the season, with "telemetry" from pre-season testing raising "a few doubts."
And rather than hassling Mercedes, the reigning world champions, and Williams for a podium finish in Australia, the team have erred on the side of caution, opting instead to reach the chequered flag with a "more conservative" engine.
Ferrari may be down on horsepower at Albert Park, but the Prancing Horse should be in an ideal position to take advantage if the two front-running teams suffer any problems.
The wisest option? Absolutely, although—should the report prove correct—it would all but confirm that Ferrari still lack the performance (and the confidence) to take on the likes of Mercedes in a straight fight, despite an encouraging pre-season.
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Giedo Van Der Garde, Sauber Verdict to Be Made on Wednesday
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Marcus Ericsson and Felipe Nasr are scheduled to race in this weekend's Australian Grand Prix, but that is subject to change with a Melbourne court set to rule on the case between the Sauber team and Giedo van der Garde on Wednesday.
As reported by Autosport's Jonathan Noble, Van der Garde has taken legal action to "enforce a contract that he believes gives him the right to drive for the team in 2015."
Sauber, though, have argued that they were entitled to sign Nasr and Ericsson—who both, as per the Press Association's Ian Parkes (h/t Daily Mail), provide around £10-12 million in sponsorship funds—to guard against financial concerns.
And the team's defence went to shocking lengths on Monday when their lawyer, Rodney Garratt QC, claimed that Van der Garde would present a safety hazard if the Dutchman—who has no experience behind the wheel of Sauber's 2015 car—was permitted to drive in the season-opener.
According to Noble, "local media" quoted Garratt as saying: "Sauber could not allow him to race... it would be reckless and dangerous to do otherwise. It would result in an unacceptable risk of physical harm or even death."
The Supreme Court of Victoria took to Twitter to announce that no decision will be made on the case until Wednesday, two days before the opening practice session of the season begins at Albert Park.
Damon Hill Airs Concerns over Max Verstappen
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Max Verstappen, at the age of just 17, will become the youngest-ever driver to start a Formula One race this weekend.
But ahead of the Dutchman's debut, 1996 world champion Damon Hill has expressed fears over how Verstappen will adapt to the pinnacle of motorsport, suggesting the Toro Rosso newcomer's career prospects could be harmed if he struggles to make a seamless transition from European Formula Three.
Hill was quoted by motorsport.com's Pablo Elizalde as stating:
"It does seem to me to be very young to enter into any complex professional sport like Formula One.
I hope for his sake that he hasn't been accelerated up to that level too quickly, because that can set you back for a very long time if you're not careful.
"
Hill knows all too well about the difficulties facing young drivers in the modern era having witnessed his son, Josh Hill—a former McLaren Autosport BRDC Award finalist—retire from motor-racing at the age of 22 in mid-2013, telling Autosport's Kevin Turner of his desire to pursue a career in music.
Music has been a passion among Toro Rosso drivers in years gone by, with Jaime Alguersuari—who remains the youngest driver to start a race having made his debut aged 19 in the 2009 Hungarian GP—splitting his time between the cockpit and the DJ decks.
With such hype surrounding Verstappen's debut, however—Helmut Marko, the Red Bull motorsport consultant, compared the youngster to Ayrton Senna in a Formula1.com interview last year—one can only hope that Max won't be reaching for the drum kit by the time he reaches his third decade.
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