Sebastian Vettel says Formula 1's current standstill will likely force him to make the all-important call on his future with Ferrari before the first race of the disrupted 2020 season.
Vettel is in the final year of his current contract with Ferrari, and while Scuderia boss Mattia Binotto has expressed his desire to keep the German driver on board, a lack of clarity regarding the team's relative level of performance complicates Vettel's decision.
It's also likely that the four-time world champion's hefty eight-figure retainer will be significantly revised to the downside in light of F1's ongoing crisis.
"There’s a high chance that we will have to make a decision before there will be the first race, because at the moment it looks like there will be no race before June or even July. So I think we are all waiting," explained Vettel, speaking in a video conference with selected media on Thursday.
"But the main priority at first was to ensure that we’re dealing, all of us, in the right way with the situation. And therefore, everything was put on hold. And I can imagine that’s probably the same everywhere else."
Earlier this year, Ferrari sealed a long-term deal with Charles Leclerc, which runs until the end of 2024. Vettel, who started his career in F1 2007, didn't provide any insight into the duration of a potential new agreement with the Scuderia.
"Whatever the deal will be like, I think it will be whatever I and the team will be comfortable with," he said.
"So in terms of duration, I don’t know. Normally the contracts I’ve had in the past were all, I think a three-year deal.
"I know that I am one of the more experienced drivers in Formula 1 but I’m not the oldest and I don’t think that there’s an age limit in this regard.
"So I think, as I said, it will be dependent on what we feel comfortable with."
©Ferrari
In terms of his financial compensation, Vettel might feel less comfortable with what his team will have to offer given the expected cutback, although the German recently said that being happy in his life was more important than money.
Queried on whether he had accepted a pay cut from his team in light of the shortened season, the 32-year-old said that talks with Ferrari were ongoing and that details would remain confidential.
"We don't know yet how the season will look like, when it will start, how many races we have and how it will be going on, etc…" he said.
"But I've always kept whatever decisions I made on this front with the team and myself. And it will be the same this time.
"So I'm not going to use this argument or this point at this time as a sort of image polish or anything like that.
"I think what I've decided to do in the past I've done in quiet and it will be the same now.
"I think, right now, obviously, it's quite serious the situation in Formula 1, with a lot of discussions about the future," he added.
"So what is the right thing to do, and economically as well?
"I think we will have to wait and see what happens in terms of what type of season we will have."
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