Formula 1: Sebastian Vettel moving to Haas in 2021?

With Sebastian Vettel out of a ride for the 2021 Formula 1 season, could he end up at the Ferrari-powered Haas team? Guenther Steiner has an answer.

After talks of a contract extension fell through, Ferrari and four-time Formula 1 world champion Sebastian Vettel came to the agreement last month that the 2020 season would be their sixth and final season together.

The Scuderia subsequently announced that Carlos Sainz Jr. is set to replace the 32-year-old German alongside Charles Leclerc beginning next year, and this led to the announcement that Daniel Ricciardo is set to leave Renault to replace Sainz at McLaren.

Meanwhile, Vettel is still without a ride for next year.

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While several possibilities have been floated, such as replacing Ricciardo at Renault, moving to Mercedes in one of their two open seats, or returning to Red Bull Racing, where he won his four world titles, one possibility that had not immediately emerged was moving to the Ferrari-powered Haas team.

Haas are one of two Ferrari-powered teams aside of Ferrari themselves, the other being Alfa Romeo Racing, which have effectively become the Ferrari B-team. Vettel had also been linked to Alfa Romeo Racing, as neither one of their two drivers, Kimi Raikkonen and Antonio Giovinazzi, are under contract for next year.

Likewise, neither one of Haas’ two drivers, Kevin Magnussen and Romain Grosjean, are under contract for next year, and given the recent clashes that have transpired between the pair, the 2020 season may end up being their final year together.

If that is the case, could Vettel end up with Formula 1’s lone American team next year?

According to team principal Guenther Steiner, Haas don’t have enough money to sign Vettel, and even if they did, he may not be fond of the idea of competing for a mid-pack team anyway.

Here is what Steiner had to say about the matter to Sky F1 on The F1 Show.

"“I cannot afford it! I think Sebastian, being a four-time world champion, I wouldn’t say he’d want to go to the midfield anymore. If you have a successful career, what you don’t want to do is to take too many risks. I’ve got a good relationship with him but I haven’t offered him a seat. I think somebody else with a lot deeper pockets than me will do that!”"

One of the reasons why Vettel opted not to re-sign with Ferrari, despite the fact that they did make him an offer, was due to the massive pay cut he would have had to take. Additionally, this offer, which he reportedly called a “joke”, was only a one-year deal, and he has been used to three-year deals in recent years.

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Due to the coronavirus pandemic, the 2020 Formula 1 season still hasn’t gotten underway. It is currently scheduled to begin with the Austrian Grand Prix at the Red Bull Ring on Sunday, July 5.

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