‘Red Bull didn’t encourage or give Vettel hope’

Michelle Foster
Max Verstappen and Sebastian Vettel

Max Verstappen and Sebastian Vettel

Red Bull neither “encouraged” nor gave Sebastian Vettel “hope” about a possible 2021 deal says Helmut Marko.

Vettel is in the market for a new job after deciding not to continue with Ferrari beyond this year’s championship.

The German has been linked to a move to Renault or Aston Martin while there has even been some suggestions he could turn to his former team Red Bull for a 2021 race seat.

That, though, is unlikely to happen.

While Marko has spoken with Vettel about his future, the Red Bull advisor insists he has done nothing to get Vettel’s hopes up.

Instead he has made it clear that Red Bull will most probably stick with Max Verstappen, who has a long term contract, and Alex Albon, who impressed during his brief stint with the team last season.

“Sebastian is looking for a race winning car for the next season,” Kronen Zeitung quotes Marko as having told ServusTV

“At Ferrari it didn’t work for him.

“We have legal contracts with Max Verstappen and Alex Albon.

“That is why the discussions with Sebastian were friendly, but in this regard we could neither encourage him nor give hope.”

2020 will be Vettel’s sixth and final season with Ferrari as the four-time World Champion has yet to add to the four titles he won with Red Bull from 2010 to 2013.

His best result with the Scuderia has been two runner-up results in the standings while last season he slumped to fifth place with just one grand prix win the entire campaign.

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