Formula 1: Christian Horner talks Red Bull’s future; Sebastian Vettel in the mix?

Christian Horner recently discussed the possibilities pertaining to Red Bull Racing’s driver lineup for the 2020 Formula 1 season. Is Sebastian Vettel in the mix?

Earlier this summer, Aston Martin Red Bull Racing team principal Christian Horner heated up speculation that Scuderia Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel could return to Red Bull Racing, the team with which he won four consecutive championships to start the decade, for the 2020 Formula 1 season.

Vettel is under contract to drive for Ferrari through the 2020 season after signing a three-year contract extension in August of 2017, but drivers can have performance exit clauses in their contracts that allow them to get out of their deals one year early.

In fact, Vettel triggered such a clause after the 2014 season to leave the Milton Keynes-based team and sign with Ferrari.

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Horner, once again, discussed the team’s driver lineup possibilities as they pertain to the 2020 season. Max Verstappen is set to return to the team for the fifth consecutive season despite the fact that there were rumors that he would get of his contract and sign with Mercedes-AMG Petronas Motorsport, but it is unknown who will be his teammate.

Red Bull Racing started the season with Pierre Gasly as the replacement for Daniel Ricciardo, who unexpectedly left the team for Renault, but they promoted Alexander Albon from Scuderia Toro Rosso before the summer break concluded as a result of Gasly’s struggles.

Albon could make things easy for the team by performing well, which he did in his Red Bull Racing debut, but if he doesn’t, they may be forced to turn elsewhere.

However, according to Horner, Verstappen’s teammate for the 2020 season will not be Vettel, period.

Here is what Horner had to say about the matter, according to Formula 1.

"“He is not available next year. He is a Ferrari driver and contracted until the end of 2020.”"

This is believable given Vettel’s current situation with Ferrari. But do keep in mind the fact that Horner and team manager Helmut Marko both stated that Gasly would not lose his seat with the team before the 2019 season came to an end.

Yet a grand total of zero races, later, they ended up replacing him with Albon, and with nine races remaining in the season.

That said, Albon was already within the Red Bull Racing organization, effectively driving for their junior team. In Vettel’s case, he has a contract with a separate team that does not expire until the end of the 2020 season.

While a performance exit clause could come into play, that doesn’t appear likely at this point with Ferrari having solidified their driver lineup of Vettel and Charles Leclerc for next year.

With Sebastian Vettel not in Red Bull Racing’s plans for the 2020 Formula 1 season, who will the team sign to become Max Verstappen’s teammate? Will they retain Alexander Albon, or will they look elsewhere, whether that be within the Red Bull Racing organization or outside of it?