Okay, Vettel will be with Red Bull for some time.

But for somebody who could be World Champion in 3-4 years time, his goal should be to join one of the top teams. And without a doubt they are interested in him. Rumour had it that McLaren already tried to have him for the vacant seat this year. At Ferrari there is Schumacher, who is told to be a little admirer of Vettel. Then BMW, a team Vettel knows from testing duties. All three teams also have free seats at latest in 2011. And besides being fast, I think he's rather on the smart end of the grid, not only giving interviews in English, but French as well.

So I wouldn't be surprised to see all three teams interested in Vettel in the medium term.

But what are the probabilities where he'll end up? Will he have the choice in the end? Could it be he pulls a Frentzen and stays at Red Bull, wasting his career like Villeneuve and Button?

Interested in your opinions,
a.

I would like to see him at the top step of the Monza podium.

I can't see him ever leaving Red Bull. They won't sell him because they don't need the money, so why let him go anywhere? And even then, not only do you lose whatever he brings to your team but you now allow a rival to have that. So you go -1 and they go +1 so you're net result is -2.

He could get pasted by Webber and have his value go down, he could have an acrimonious relationship with Red Bull in the long term; but his situation with Red Bull is like Hamilton with McLaren; you just can't see them splitting.

Well, depending on what engine RedBull uses next year.. at the moment that STR team doesn't look like a bad place to be in. If they switch engines with each other, RedBull might be a good alternative for 1 or 2 years. After that, he should really join one of the top teams if he keeps progressing like he has so far.

The possibility always exists that Newey will get a field crushing car as he in the past - several times. Although to be honest I thought he would have producing something before now that would have shown at least some moments of speed - rain assisted pole excluded.

I don't think that Vettel has any need to look elsewhere for a little while.

Maybe he will do a Button and get out of an ironclad contract if someone backs a dump truck of money at his door.

If Red Bull fails to be competitive in the next couple of years, and Vettel keeps driving like he does recently, then he will be gone to a top team (whichever those are at that moment) and Red Bull won't be able to keep him - you can't force a driver to drive for you if he doesn't want it.

I hope Seb ends up at Ferrari, that would be brilliant.

He will end-up in Ferrari for certain.

Seb - Ferrari 09

I see Ferrari written all over him.

Mateschitz has more money, I can't see it happening.

That's long term isn't it because Ferrari seats are sealed till 2010 end. By that time Lewis might be available to Ferrari

I wish Seb well but cannot see him as a regular winner in Red Bull team. The car won't be there.

In his case, I consider 2011 mid term because he certainly has a decade or more ahead.

Ferrari. If Massa loses the title then most high possibility even for next year.

I simply love this guy. Until now he was emerging as someone to watch for, but after this race I am running out of superlatives. I would recommend to BMW to get rid of both their current drivers in lieu for this one only, and thus make my dreams reality...


Alonso and Seb - new team...? It would be nice.

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Nick is now little on the ready for retirement side, and the other one is simply a blabbermounth which I cannot stand it. BMW gave him a chance, and this tramp instead being grateful and quietly deal with the situation, he is now pissing in his meal ticket.

Yeah, but he could be a Schumi and be competitive his whole career or he might just have the speed for a few years and waste those years in a terrible car (unless he drives like Monza all the time)

Well that German/ Italian anthem-ed podium ceremony was a nice flashback.

I can't understand why Ferrari have extended Raikkonen's deal through 2010. He's not competitive at all and fastest laps from 13th to 9th make zero difference. Ferrari have made a BIG mistake.

I hope Vettel ends up in Scarlet sooner rather than later.

Eh? Assuming he beats Webber then he just waits for the contract to end and goes to whoever he thinks has a shot at winning a CC with.

I can't see them staying together assuming he beats Webber.

Vettel to Ferrari for 2009. Ferrari get rid of Kimi. Then Alonso joins Vettel on 2010

Why so certain? What if McLaren has a seat available earlier, and a better a car when they make the offer? What if Red Bull itself is very competitive next year? What if another team emerges as top dog under the new rules, and they make a $$ offer?

Ferrari has Raikkonen and Massa under contract till and included 2010, isn't it? So which one would they buy out, in addition to having to pay Red Bull to get Vettel released?

Not a bad idea... (And, in passing, congrats to Vettel to a perfect weekend!)

Unless this was a fluke event (there's been too many of those in F1), we might look at a rising star, the next Alonso, the next Schuey even, the record-beating new regenmeister and dominator, the one to quit F1 with no less than nine WDC titles to his credit and over one hundred GP wins.

One down and 99 to go.

Webber creaming Vettel is about as unlikely as Chinese WDC in 2009.

The Michael Vettel link is far too strong for him to go to McLaren. He has a spot in Ferrari and I wouldn't be suprised to see Massa lose it in 2010 if he doesn't win the championship this year or the next.

Don't think it possible with Ham & Mac keeping their form. But gloriuos battles between them are awaing us in the future One may hope.

Vettel & Kubica in Ferrari from 2011! That's what I would really like to see

There is a link? What kind of link, managerial?

They are friends. And he is kind of Michael's protegee, I think once Berger mentioned Michael pointed him out for him.

Michael knows him since he was a child. And Michael gave an interview to Stern about a month ago and when ask with whom (ie. drivers) he still keeps contact with in F1, he said Massa and Vettel. They regularly call each other with Seb.

BTW, Vettel was in Kerpen before Spa to practice on a wet track with Michael's kart team, KSM...

But I don't think there's an official link that would forbid him to go to McLaren. But surely, if he goes on like this many teams will fight for him at the end of his Red Bull contract. And with Michael Ferrari may have an advantage there.

Thanks for the info. That does it make it more likely that he would go to Ferrari rather than McLaren (of course, he has to be released or want to get out of Red Bull first). However, Schumacher got his first shot at F1 thanks to Mercedes so I don't think any doors would be closed automatically, especially if Ferrari is locked into contracts for the near future.

I like vettels personality. Looks and acts like a good bloke. He was fantastic today. However it is easy when you are in an inferior car for people to start over-blowing the horns when you pull an amazing result like that of today. I pray that the red-bull will give him a good car otherwise he will be just another kova or nico.

Those Schumacher-Vettel pictures are a bit scary. Maybe Sebastian is Michael's illegitimate son...

If he is, his mother must have contributed to Vettels personality.

He is very ungerman.

It was funny to hear Brundle on the ITV feed say he needs to fix up his attitude to the media...because he is nice, shakes hands, says thankyou, always answers questions etc....he will give F1 drivers a bad name if he keeps it up

He will be meeting fans and signing autographs soon.

The world of F1 will implode.

A Rossi for the F1 world.

When Mika Hakkinen won his first title, he was asked how it will change him. And he said: 'I am trying hard to act arrogant. But I can't.'

There are people who won't be spoilt by success and there are those who think of themselves as the best of all time even when they haven't won a title yet....

I loved his performance, but lets not get carried away, performing consistently with more pressure under a top team, and when it's not raining,doing that all season, well lets not give him a title with hype just yet.

We know he's great in the rain, but Kimi was never great in the rain ever, and the ferrari cars of Massa and Kimi certainly don't enjoy full wet conditions, perhaps the Torro Rosso was just perfect for Monza, either way a tad of caution required. It's easier to prejudge then wait and evaluate him, Sabatian Boudais was also doing very good lap times, if he didn't start a lap later, I'm sure he would of passed ferrari and challenged a mclaren as well, let's be fair.

Mid -Term (as in 3 to 5 years)....winning championships for Ferrari.

If Red Bull don't get their finger out, he could do a Button and disappear to the back of the grid.

Its hard to tell. Remember his amazing drive at China 07? This was the first time he has amazed since then and in similar conditions.

I think he needs a similarly amazing dry race before he is considered a firm top driver.

I'm trying to think of a name. It's hard. Initials are L and H but that's all I can come up with.

Yes, he needs another two like this. First one is suprise (mostly to uninitiated), second is to prove the point that first one wasn't a fluke, and finally third one to announce - I have arriwed!

McLaren?
With Lewis Hamilton signed there forever?

Vettel at Ferrari in 2011.
That in case Raikkonen doesn´t leave earlier than that.
I wonder how Kimi will continue if Massa gets consistently the better of him.



Vettel: not the next Schumi, because he is too humble, kind and natural for it.
In terms of driving he is more like Senna, as Michael usually muscled his way around the circuits, Vettel looks more smooth.

In reality he is Sebastian Vettel I.

:

'Ungerman'... now thats an interesting adjective.