Sebastian Vettel of Infiniti Red Bull Racing played down rumors that he is planning on joining the Mercedes AMG Petronas bandwagon after the 2015 season. He also denied similar rumors that he will be joining McLaren after the next Formula One season.
The speculations originated from the comments of Dr. Helmut Marko, the motorsport advisor of Red Bull, according to Sky Sports. Marko hinted that the four-time champion has received offers from Mercedes and McLaren. He further said that Mercedes is hoping to pair him with Nico Rosberg when Lewis Hamilton exits the team in 2015.
However Vettel responded that although he considers any offer, nothing has changed. He added he still doesn’t talk about such things, and he said that Marko’s sources seem to vary.
It is unlikely that Vettel will be replacing Hamilton, especially looking at our previous report about Hamilton’s impending contract renewal and extension. The Briton seems to be positive about his current negotiations with Mercedes also because he pointed out that it would be very difficult on his part to see himself anywhere else.
In addition, the current pairing of Hamilton and Rosberg has produced a powerhouse team this season. The two have been enjoying their partnership too. The competition between them seems to be a healthy one as well. Disagreements between the two along the way seem to be patched up almost immediately before they escalate, thanks to the good management and efforts of people behind the scene like Toto Wolff, Niki Lauda, Paddy Lowe and others.
With the strong chemistry of Hamilton and Rosberg, it is really hard to imagine that Mercedes would trade or let go any of them in the foreseeable future just to accommodate another person, even the likes of Vettel.