Following some recent comments by the Ferrari president Luca Di Montezemolo, the prospect of the Italian team seeking to recruit Sebastian Vettel has resurfaced. The inference from the recent stories is that any such move would be made for the 2014 season. The reports, and the timescales cited, raise several questions and issues.
First and foremost, would Vettel necessarily want to leave Red Bull at all? He is very much the "blue eyed boy" in that team, given the best of everything, an integral part of a well-oiled machine. That set-up is second to none in current F1, with strong and clear technical and strategic leadership. The German was "brought up", in F1 terms, within the Red Bull framework.
On the other hand, in two years' time, will Vettel be ready for a change, and a new challenge? By then, he may have one or two additional world titles under his belt, and there are no guarantees in modern F1 that a team will retain its supremacy for long, and this will be accentuated by the upcoming changes to the engine regulations.
In the past, it was often assumed that the "logical" step or ambition for any driver was to join Ferrari, but I am not entirely sure whether this mode of thinking still applies. Much of the romance associated with Ferrari faded some years ago, and the drivers of today employ hard-nosed and rational criteria when laying out their career paths. Even the outwardly happy-go-lucky Vettel is unlikely to be swayed by the perceived mystique of the Ferrari team.
The other factor which needs to be taken into account here is the presence, or otherwise, of Fernando Alonso in the Ferrari driving strength. It is hard to imagine the two co-existing amicably in the same team for any length of time, even allowing for Vettel's seemingly placid and tolerant nature. Also, suggestions that the Spaniard will "mentor" Vettel before handing over the reins hardly appear credible or plausible.
If, by seeking to hire Vettel, Ferrari are hoping to replicate the glory days of Michael Schumacher, then surely part of the recipe for success, stability and harmony would entail the designation of one of the drivers as a clear number two.
From a neutral standpoint, the prospect of Alonso and Vettel in the same team is guaranteed to quicken the pulse, but I cannot see it happening. Vettel may not have any major objections to the scenario, but he may conclude that the "known quantity" of Red Bull is preferable. The financial muscle of Red Bull could also be brought to bear in precluding Vettel's departure.
It will be fascinating, during the forthcoming season, to see whether any "Vettel to Ferrari" theories acquire greater credence....
Montezemolo was only being polite. Ferrari aren't interested in Vettel.
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