It is reported that the talks between Sebastian Vettel and Ferrari broke down with no agreement.
Sebastian Vettel is set to leave Ferrari at the end of the season, according to reports in the English media. The talks between Vettel and Ferrari ended in no agreement, meaning that his tenure at the Italian F1 side looks set to come to an end.
Germany's Vettel joined Ferrari in 2015, following the footsteps of countryman and Ferrari great Michael Schumacher. However, his aim to win the F1 Championship with Ferrari remains unfulfilled.
According to BBC, Spain's Carlos Sainz, who currently is with McLaren, is among the top contenders to replace Vettel at Ferrari.
Red Bull, the team where Vettel won four championships, have stated that they won't partner their current star driver Max Verstappen with another top-line driver.
Vettel had a poor 2019 season with Ferrari, where he finished a disappointing fifth overall - 173 points behind champion Lewis Hamilton. It was made worse with the fact that the four-time F1 champion's junior teammate, Charles Leclerc, finished fourth in his first season with Ferrari and only his second in F1.
The German driver had a remarkable downfall ever since he joined Ferrari. When Vettel won his fourth F1 championship in 2013, his rival Hamilton was stuck on one title. Many tipped Vettel to challenge Michael Schumacher's F1 record (seven titles).
However, Hamilton has now won six titles and looks set to beat Schumacher's all-time record. Vettel, meanwhile, is still stuck at four championship titles.
Vettel came closest to winning the title with Ferrari in the 2017 and 2018 seasons, when he had a faster car than McLaren's Hamilton. However, uncommon mistakes from the driver and the team meant that he was left rueing the lost opportunities.
The coronavirus crisis has forced a halt on the F1 season and when it returns, Vettel now faces an uncomfortable year where Ferrari's focus will be on their rising star, Charles Leclerc.
