Formula 1: Sebastian Vettel’s rumored McLaren linkage deeper than F1?

Sebastian Vettel has been rumored to join McLaren in 2021 after his Ferrari contract expires. But could this rumored linkage be for outside of Formula 1?

Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel has become one of the most talked about drivers as it pertains to the 2021 Formula 1 driver lineup. His contract with Ferrari, which he extended by three years back in August of 2017, expires after the 2020 season ends, and there is no guarantee of a renewal.

The 32-year-old German’s recent decline in form coupled with run-ins with teammate Charles Leclerc, who beat Vettel in the driver standings in his first year with the team and is under contract through the 2022 season, has placed him on the hot seat as the 2020 season nears.

Several drivers, including six-time champion Lewis Hamilton, have been linked to potentially replacing the four-time champion at the Scuderia.

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Likewise, Vettel himself, provided he is replaced by does not opt to retire from Formula 1, has been linked to several other seats as well; after all, he is still a four-time champion despite his recent struggles.

One such rumor only recently emerged, and it is one that, on the surface, seems crazy. Deep down, it still really doesn’t make a ton of sense.

Vettel was recently rumored to join McLaren for the 2021 season. This rumor was formed on the basis of reports that the four-time world champion had consulted McLaren team principal Andreas Seidl about joining the team.

Suffice it to say that there is no good reason for anybody at McLaren to think a driver lineup change should even be considered for the near future.

Lando Norris and Carlos Sainz Jr. both had stellar years in their first seasons driving for the Woking-based team, and both are under contract for the foreseeable future. Norris recently signed a multi-year deal while Sainz’s deal contains an option for beyond the 2020 season.

Additionally, the camaraderie that they developed as teammates in their first year makes it hard to see McLaren doing anything to change this lineup after only two seasons. Both drivers are quite young as well, with Norris having just turned 20 and Sainz being just 25 despite having already spent five years in the sport.

Plus, McLaren just had their best year since 2012 with their “best of the rest” title, and with their new engine deal with Mercedes set to go into effect in 2021 along with the new rules and regulations aimed at making competition more competitive, we could be looking at a McLaren team poised to return to the championship form for which they were known many years ago.

So why is Vettel even in the discussion?

Think outside the box. He wants to win, and Ferrari would be his best option for 2021. So if he doesn’t get that option, where else could he turn?

Could these supposed talks between Seidl and Vettel be deeper than just Formula 1?

Like, perhaps a potential IndyCar deal?

After years and years of rumors, McLaren finally joined IndyCar on a full-time basis for the 2020 season, doing so via a partnership with Arrow Schmidt Peterson Motorsports to form Arrow McLaren SP.

IndyCar, like most forms of motorsport, has been filled with youngsters in recent years. Arrow McLaren SP continued this trend, naming 2018 and 2019 Indy Lights champions Patricio O’Ward and Oliver Askew as their two drivers for the 2020 season.

But while there is a parallel between this young lineup and that of McLaren’s Formula 1 team, there are no guarantees that this one will work out. If it doesn’t, could Vettel be an option?

Vettel previously stated that he would not rule out competing in the Indianapolis 500, according to IndyCar, but he did not comment beyond that.

"“Just jumping in and doing a good job, oval racing is very different to racing in Formula 1.”"

How could he overcome that lack of IndyCar experience? A full-time ride in the series.

Of course, maybe his talks with McLaren are about the Indy 500 only; we don’t know anything more than the reports that he and Seidl have been in contact.

When Vettel made this claim a few years ago, two-time Formula 1 champion Fernando Alonso shared the same sentiment. Alonso has since attempted two Indy 500s, successfully qualifying for one, and he did a solid job in the one for which he qualified, leading 27 laps after qualifying on the second row in fifth place. He wants to return for a third attempt in 2020, and there is no reason to believe he won’t.

The 38-year-old Spaniard immediately took to oval racing despite never having any previous experience in it, and given Vettel’s similar past motorsport experience, there is no reason to believe he wouldn’t do the same, if not better should he end up competing full-time.

The idea of Sebastian Vettel competing for McLaren in the 2021 Formula 1 season seems a bit far-fetched, yet it is the latest rumor to pick up steam regarding the driver lineup in two years. Could his talks with McLaren be for something outside of Formula 1, such as IndyCar? That may justifiably seem equally far-fetched at this point, but if he does end up with the McLaren organization in two years, this could very well be his landing spot.