F1 News

Sebastian Vettel is running out of time

Sebastian Vettel is "running out of time"

27-08-2019 08:03
1

Bevan Youl

Former Formula 1 driver Gerhard Berger says Sebastian Vettel is “running out of time” at Ferrari with the challenge from younger teammate Charles Leclerc and feels he could pull out of his contract in favour of retirement from the sport.

Vettel has expressed his feelings about modern F1 several times and rumours have flown about this season suggesting that he may retire at the end of this year, which the German has always played down.
 
But Berger, who was the German's boss at Toro Rosso in 2008, feels the four-time World Champion could retire and put his family life first.
 
The Austrian said to DPA news agency: “Sebastian is a very intelligent guy and certainly he has a lot of other aspects to his life.
 
“He is very family-oriented, he has children, and he has a lot of money — he doesn’t need any more.

“His heart is very much with his family and his old motorcycles and cars.”

“I can well imagine that he wakes up one morning and says ‘it’s all getting on my nerves, I’m doing something else or I’m going to drive cars that are more fun and not operating under such complex rules’.

“It’s not like Sebastian is not good at surprises.”

Ferrari had had Kimi Raikkonen alongside Vettel for many years until they decided to promote Leclerc from Sauber for this season, proving worthy as the Monegasque has qualified on pole twice and finishing on the podium five times.

“[It’s] not easy for Sebastian”, Berger added.

“He is running out of time.

“It’s a bit different to Michael (Schumacher), who was much stricter with his team and guided it more, which is not a criticism of Sebastian.

“Sebastian is very clever and hardworking, it’s just not his nature. It’s the management’s duty to make the team work."