Red Bull Racing F1 boss Christian Horner does not take Sebastian Vettel’s headline grabbing flirtation with Ferrari too seriously and has said that a decade down the road Ferrari are free to have the reigning world champion.
Speaking to Reuters, Horner said, “I think any driver at some stage in his career would like to drive for the red team and we don’t hold that against him. But…for the foreseeable future we see him as a part of Red Bull, he’s grown up within the Red Bull family and hopefully for many years to come. Just before he retires he can go to Ferrari.
He added mischievously, “If he wants to go to Ferrari just before he retires, then that could be another 10 years away. Or in Michael (Schumacher)’s case 20 years away.”
Horner pointed out, “The Italians get very excited when world champions talk about Ferrari, so maybe he’s been dreaming about Ferrari but I think that’s about all. One of the things that we encourage is a freedom of expression and so on. Sebastian is his own person and he’s got his own opinions.”
“For the foreseeable future, and most importantly for the immediate future, he is very much committed to Red Bull and likewise Red Bull committed to him,” he admitted.
“It’s down to us to ensure that we are giving him a quick car and it’s down to him to ensure that he’s performing, and what driver in the pitlane wouldn’t want to drive a Red Bull at the moment?” asked the champion team boss.
“He’s an important part of what we do and an important part of how the team moves forward but that is more than a piece of paper or a contract. That comes down to relationships, down to trust, down to feeling comfortable in an environment. He’s grown up within the Red Bull family and all the success he has achieved within his motorsport career has come within that environment,” concluded Horner.
Source: YallaF1
