Amid talk that Daniel Ricciardo his high on the list to replace Kimi Raikkonen at Ferrari, maybe even as soon as 2017, Sebastian Vettel has said he would have no objections welcoming the big smiling Aussie to Maranello.
“I raced with him in 2014 and we didn’t have any problems,” said Vettel. “And I knew him before that. I don’t mind him. I like him.”
“I think he’s a strong guy and obviously he had a good season in 2014. Last year and this year it’s a bit difficult always to judge because you don’t know what’s going on internally, but, from what I know, he’s a good guy,” acknowledged Vettel
“Then again, it’s not my decision. It’s not my job to sign people. Our main priority now is to close the gap,” he added.
Ricciardo was Vettel’s teammate at the energy drinks team in 2014 and remains the only driver to have beaten the quadruple world champion over a course of a season.
When asked recently by Corriere della Sera about his contractual situation with Red Bull, Ricciardo replied, “It’s open. It all depends on Red Bull. If they stay in Formula 1, I think they will propose a multi-year extension.”
Red Bull consultant Helmut Marko is aware of the situation and told Servus TV earlier this year, “Ferrari are much more interested in Ricciardo than Verstappen. The red and the silver teams are knocking.”
Ricciardo is not denying his fascination with the Italian team, “I won’t lie. I’m sure at least 90 per cent of drivers, at least if not now, they followed Ferrari as a kid because, in a way, that is what we knew formula one as.”
But added, “It’s interesting, but it’s only interesting if they have got the best car. Sure, you want to put yourself in a winning car at some point and have a chance. Whether one day that is Ferrari I don’t know…”
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