Ferrari downplays talk of Sebastian Vettel joining team in 2014
Ferrari president Luca di Montezemolo has played down talk of Sebastian Vettel joining Fernando Alonso at Ferrari in the future, suggesting Felipe Massa is a more suitable second driver
Vettel has been linked to a switch to Ferrari at times this year, with fresh reports surfacing over the Korean Grand Prix weekend.
Speaking to Italian radio, however, di Montezemolo says he is wary of having a line-up that could create tension within the team.
"Today the problem is not with drivers. 2013 is still to come but I don't want to have two roosters in the same hen-house, rather two drivers who race for Ferrari and not for themselves," Montezemolo told RAI radio.
"I don't want problems and rivalries, which we didn't have between Schumacher and Irvine, between Schumacher and Barrichello, between Alonso and Massa or Massa and Schumi or Massa and Raikkonen."
Massa, whose future at Ferrari was in doubt for months after a poor start to the season, is set to stay at the Italian squad for another year.
Di Montezemolo said he will talk with Massa tomorrow to sort out his future.
"There's no doubt that confirming Massa was unthinkable midway through the season, but he is now giving us what we expect of him," he said. "Tomorrow we'll talk and then we'll take a decision.
"Massa went very well in Monza and in Japan; he is back. I've asked him to come to Maranello tomorrow and we'll have a long chat.
"I think he has always given a lot to Ferrari and that he has a good relationship with Alonso. I count on him to take points off our rivals.
"It's true that the car at the beginning of the season had such characteristics that he couldn't drive it, but I've always told him we needed his reaction and from Spa onwards he has begun to go better. He knew he had the team's full support."
Previous article
Lotus boss reckons under fire Romain Grosjean now back on track
Next article
Grosjean: Really an accident waiting to happen?
The joy that exposes F1’s key weakness
Long-awaited wins for ex-Formula 1 drivers Marcus Ericsson and Kevin Magnussen in IndyCar and IMSA last weekend gave F1 a reminder of what it is missing. But with the new rules aimed at levelling the playing field, there’s renewed optimism that more drivers can have a rewarding result when their day of days comes
The figures Red Bull and Mercedes can't afford to see again in F1 2021
OPINION: An interloper squad got amongst the title contenders during Formula 1’s street-circuit mini-break, where Red Bull left with the points lead in both championships. But, as the campaign heads back to purpose-built venues once again, how the drivers of the two top teams compare in one crucial area will be a major factor in deciding which squad stays in or retakes the top spot
Why Alfa's boss is ready for the task of securing a stronger F1 future
Two tenth places in recent races have lifted Alfa Romeo to the head of Formula 1's 'Class C' battle in 2021, but longer-term the Swiss-based squad has far loftier ambitions. With the new 2022 rules set to level out the playing field, team boss Frederic Vasseur has good reason to be optimistic, as he explained to Autosport in an exclusive interview
How Barnard’s revolutionary McLaren transformed F1 car construction
The MP4/1 was pioneering by choice, but a McLaren by chance. STUART CODLING relates the tangled (carbonfibre) weaves which led to the creation of one of motor racing’s defining cars
Why the end is nigh for F1’s most dependable design tool
Windtunnel work forms the bedrock of aerodynamic development in Formula 1. But as PAT SYMONDS explains, advances in virtual research are signalling the end of these expensive and complicated relics
Why polarising Mosley’s legacy amounts to far more than tabloid rumour
The newspapers, naturally, lingered over Max Mosley’s tainted family history and niche sexual practices. But this is to trivialise the legacy of a big beast of motor racing politics. STUART CODLING weighs the life of a man whose work for safety on both road and track has saved hundreds of thousands of lives, but whose penchant for cruelty remains problematic and polarising
Why pragmatic Perez isn't fazed by no-nonsense Red Bull F1 culture
Sergio Perez has spent most of his career labouring in Formula 1’s midfield, wondering whether he’d ever get another shot at the big time. Red Bull has handed him that chance and, although life at the top is tough, the Baku winner is doing all the right things to get on terms with Max Verstappen, says BEN ANDERSON
What the data tells us about the F1 2021 title fight
Formula 1 has been tracking car performance using timing loops mounted every 200m around each circuit – to the extent that it was able to anticipate Ferrari’s 'surprise’ pole in Monaco. PAT SYMONDS explains what this means for this season and beyond
