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Published 23:44 IST, December 16th 2019

Are Sebastian Vettel's days at Ferrari numbered? 2020 F1 season crucial for the German

Sebastian Vettel will have five races to retain his place for Ferrari for the 2020 season after enduring a rough 2018 and 2019 season with the Italian team.

Reported by: Suraj Alva
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Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel had a dismal 2019 season where he finished behind newcomer Charles Leclerc in the Driver’s Championship. Leclerc and Vettel had a turbulent second half to the season in which both the drivers were involved in a crash during Brazil GP. Ferrari also faced disappointment after starting strongly. The Italian outfit finished the 2019 season in second place in the Constructors' Championship.

Also Read: Will Lewis Hamilton Make His Move To Ferrari At The End Of F1 2020 Season?

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F1: Sebastian Vettel to have 5 races to save his career with Ferrari?

According to media reports, the four-time world champion will have five races to retain his place for Ferrari for the 2020 season. Sebastian Vettel has had a rough couple of seasons with the German driver making too many errors in the second half of the 2018 season, while the year 2019 was also a turbulent one. His relationship with his teammate has not been cordial either. During the Russian Grand Prix, Leclerc said Vettel had broken a team agreement about swapping places.

Also Read: Sebastian Vettel Becomes Father, Set To Delay Arrival For Abu Dhabi GP

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Sebastian Vettel’s error in the past two seasons has seen Ferrari been linked with a move to bring in Lewis Hamilton or might promote a youngster from their drivers' academy. Lewis Hamilton is tipped as a favourite to land the seat with the Italian outfit as his contract expires in 2020. The six-time World Champion recently met the chairman of Ferrari.

F1: Lewis Hamilton to Ferrari 

Ferrari chief executive Louis Camilleri has confirmed F1 champion Lewis Hamilton is eager to join the team when his time at Mercedes comes to an end. Hamilton has long been linked with a move to Ferrari after previously admitting his admiration for the Italian outfit. Ferrari boss Mattia Binotto said that Ferrari have a long-term agreement with Charles Leclerc and Sebastian Vettel. He also added that the team is flattered that other drivers and Lewis wants to come and join them. It would also be premature to decide anything for the future.

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Also Read: Lewis Hamilton Mocks Max Verstappen, Says Every Driver Chases Mercedes Seat Like 'a Dog'

F1: Ferrari speaks about Vettel’s future

Speaking about Sebastian Vettel’s long term prospects, Ferrari team principal Mattia Binotto said that the team will see the performance, the way Vettel adapts to the car and his motivation for the future. It’s not about whether Vettel makes mistakes or not. It’s really about how Vettel sees his future. He also added that Ferrari has the advantage that the team is very popular among the drivers. Stellar performance over the first five races should put Vettel back in contention to retain his place for the 2020 season. The German has indicated that he is prepared to fight for his seat in the team.

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Also Read: Lewis Hamilton To Ferrari? If Yes, What's Next For Sebastian Vettel

16:20 IST, December 16th 2019