Red Bull F1 official says maybe it's time for Vettel to leave Ferrari

Four-time Formula 1 champion Sebastian Vettel’s career has hit a major speed bump at Ferrari.

Red Bull F1 consultant Helmut Marko thinks Sebastian Vettel needs to change teams in order to get his Formula 1 career back on track.

Vettel, who won all four of his championships with Red Bull before moving to Ferrari in 2015, has lost the crucial backing of the Italian media after Silverstone following yet another fundamental mistake.

“You do not forget how to drive,” Red Bull’s new No. 1 driver Max Verstappen said. “So why does this stuff keep happening to him over and over again at Ferrari?”

Marko, the Red Bull driver manager who brought the German into F1 and hosted his four world championships, thinks it is a crisis of confidence for Vettel.

“You make mistakes when you are no longer sure of yourself,” Marko told German media outlet Auto Bild. “It happens in the subconscious.”

Vettel has a contract with Ferrari for 2020, but that has not stopped speculation that he might either quit F1 or even return to Red Bull after this season.

Red Bull team manager Jonathan Wheatley said: “Sebastian is a very intelligent, sensitive and warm-hearted man. You can tell by how loving he is to his wife and his children. Or the fantastic speech he delivered in honor of (the late F1 race director) Charlie Whiting at Silverstone.

“He’s not such a tough guy like Michael Schumacher or Fernando Alonso, who were always able to perform. Sebastian is a driver who has to feel unconditional support. He had that with Red Bull. And he probably doesn’t have it at Ferrari.”

Marko agrees that leaving Ferrari might be the only thing that can put Vettel back on track.

“Sebastian would have to be in a different environment. In order words, change the team,” he said. “But I see no way for 2020.”

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