Ferrari has met the key demand of Sebastian Vettel in a second contract offer to stay beyond 2020, La Gazzetta dello Sport says.
As Formula 1 waits to get this year’s championship underway following the coronavirus, speculation has been growing over the four-time world champion’s future at the Scuderia.
Last month it was reported Vettel had refused Ferrari’s initial offer of just a single-year extension to his current deal and with a 70 percent pay cut from $40m a year to just $12m.
Now though, while the salary figure remains the same, and also equal with teammate Charles Leclerc, a multi-year contract has been given to the German, his main demand in talks.
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Previously, Vettel downplayed the importance of money in deciding his future so it would now seem to be firmly in his court to decide whether to accept Ferrari’s latest offer, if true.
One man urging both sides to reach a deal is Ralf Schumacher, who believes doing so is in their respective interests.
“Sebastian had a bad year last season due to high expectations,” he told Sky Deutschland.
“If he wants to focus on the long term, he has to leave Ferrari, but if he wants to drive for victories this year and next, there is almost no alternative. Then the money would have to be put to the back [of his mind].
“And for Ferrari, the question of losing someone like Sebastian Vettel is not easy either,” Schumacher suggested.
“He is a very experienced driver and it is also about a teams’ championship, so you should agree [a new contract].
“I think there are currently not many better solutions than this driver pairing.”