Ex-Formula 1 CEO Bernie Ecclestone is eager to see Sebastian Vettel team up with Lewis Hamilton at Mercedes next year.
The future of the four-time world champion has been subject to speculation ever since it was confirmed almost two weeks ago that Vettel would be departing Ferrari at the end of 2020.
While most are suggesting retirement is likely, the seat currently held by Valtteri Bottas is a very tempting option with even Mercedes’ parent company Daimler reportedly pushing to replace the Finn with Vettel.
“In the current situation, Mercedes should consider engaging a German hero like Sebastian,” Ecclestone claimed via F1-Insider.com
“This could create an emotional boost for employees and also set positive signals for the outside world.
“In any case, the PR effectiveness of Vettel at Mercedes would be mega.”
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Bernie also downplayed suggestions of possible tensions that could emerge between Vettel and Lewis Hamilton.
“I’d like to see him at Mercedes, obviously,” he added to RTL.
“I’d like to see him against Lewis Hamilton, I think that would be good for Formula 1, good for the sport, good for the people watching.
“I think both of them get along with each other without any problems. It’s not a case of what their egos are, both have super talent. So it would make a super, super team.
“I don’t see any problem with Lewis being concerned at all and I know Sebastian would love to have the opportunity to race against him.”
Ecclestone then reflected on Vettel’s failure to replicate Michael Schumacher’s success at Ferrari and identified what he considers a key difference in the two eras.
“Michael’s situation with Ferrari was a little bit different,” he said.
“I once said to him, ‘who’s running the team?’ He said ‘I am.’ That’s probably the truth and why they were so successful.
“The trouble with Italians, they haven’t really got a lot of leaders. They [Ferrari] haven’t got a leader, in my opinion anyway.
“The person in charge of the team [Mattia Binotto] is basically a super engineer, he’s been with Ferrari for more than 20 years.”