Mattiacci: Happy To Brought Vettel To Ferrari

Vettel is Mattiaci's 'Parting Gift' to Ferrari.

Marco Mattiacci

Marco Mattiacci has broken his silence to suggest Sebastian Vettel was his “parting gift” to Ferrari. After just seven months in the job, the Italian has been replaced as Ferrari team boss by the Marlboro executive Maurizio Arrivabene.

“My best wishes to him are sincere,” said Mattiacci, as he spoke for the first time since his ousting to the well-known Ferrari insider Leo Turrini.

“He (Arrivabene) is a very competent person and I am sure the fans – and I include myself – will get the results they expect.”

But Mattiacci denied that his short F1 adventure had been an unpleasant one.

Sebastian Vettel at Ferrari

Whereas Vettel says he is not expecting to race a winning Ferrari in 2015 because he struggled this year. He was also beaten by new teammate Daniel Ricciardo.

“After the disappointing results of the first half of the season it became a possibility that I could leave Red Bull,” said Vettel.

“So this led to more detailed discussions with Ferrari. The interest was there. I think the timing was just right with everything,” he added.

He will be replaced by Fernando Alonso, F1’s most highly rated driver who has now decided to return to McLaren.

“I am very aware that we at Ferrari have a big job coming up that will take time — especially when Mercedes has such a huge competitive advantage.”

“I have seen pictures of Vettel in the Ferrari box for testing in Abu Dhabi and I can say I am happy to have brought him to Maranello where he already brings a new energy, a fresh enthusiasm,” said Mattiacci.

Asked if Vettel wearing red is Mattiacci’s parting gift to Ferrari, he said: “If you write that, I will not be sorry.” (GMM)

Mercedes ready for contract with Lewis

Mercedes in urgent contract talks with Lewis Hamilton.

Mercedes formula one boss Toto Wolff wants to get in a long term contract with Lewis Hamilton as soon as possible and also wants to keep Nico Rosberg in the team for the foreseeable future. Nico Rosberg's contract was extended earlier this year and considered him to be a valuable part of the team.

"We want him very much to stay for many more years. He’s great for the team, he’s part of the family, the relationship we all enjoy is more than just a professional racing relationship between driver and team. It's on a different level," Mercedes motorsport head Toto Wolff told reporters ahead of the season-ending race.

Currently, the pair are set to race together once again next year, despite clashing on and off track and the intensity of their championship fight also heated up. “The only thing the two are interested in is that they have the fastest race car possible. So I would say at the moment that we have a good situation," explained Wolff.

On the other hand Ferrari’s Fernando Alonso, the double world champion who is set to join McLaren next year when they start a new partnership with Honda, has made little secret of his interest in moving to Mercedes in 2016.

“Lewis is a very intelligent and mature person now who knows more about Formula One than many other managers out there," he said. "I think he can represent himself in a good way, he has good support from consultants he needs to have, be it legal or tax or whatever.

"He knows what he wants and is straight about it."