Vettel not sure Ferrari offer was genuine

Ferrari team principal Maurizio Arrivabene has revealed that Sebastian Vettel was not sure last year if the offer of a race seat with the Maranello scuderia was genuine.

Ultimately, the former quadruple world champion’s switch from Red Bull has been a fairytale for both sides, as Vettel delivered victory in Malaysia amid shades of the ultra-successful Michael Schumacher era.

According to new team boss Arrivabene, Maranello’s interest in Vettel dates back some years.

“Even my pre-predecessor Stefano Domenicali was interested,” he told Sport Bild, “and had talks, and then again his successor Marco Mattiacci last summer.”

“What was interesting is that Sebastian was probably not sure if Mattiacci was serious,” Arrivabene told the German magazine.

“Because it is a part of our business that you sometimes talk to other drivers just to push the price of your own.”

“But amongst other things, Michael Schumacher’s manager Sabine Kehm took away this uncertainty, and then things happened very quickly,” he revealed.