Vettel and Ferrari no longer shared the same goals – Binotto

Mattia Binotto provided a little more details regarding the departure of Sebastian Vettel at the end of the year at Ferrari, and explained its replacement by Carlos Sainz. 

The non-renewal of the German's contract beyond 2020 was made public on Tuesday morning, while his successor in Maranello was made official this Thursday morning with the announcement of a 2 season contract for the pilot McLaren. 

The head of Gestione Sportiva spoke Thursday afternoon as part of the Motor Valley Fest, the 2020 edition of which took place online, due to the Coronavirus pandemic. 

« When we make these kinds of decisions, we do so because we are convinced that we are making the right choice., Binotto said in comments reported by Motorsportweek.com. We are coming to the end of a six-year cycle with Sebastian. I admire him as a person and a professional. I hold him in high esteem. 

The world has changed in recent weeks, not only economically but also from a technical and sporting point of view. Challenges and obstacles lie ahead and it will be difficult. 

We are laying foundations for the future. We have a very specific perspective. We discussed it with Sebastian and it appeared that we did not share the same objectives, both in the short term and in the longer term. 

Sainz is a great recruit: he is intelligent and young, with 5 seasons of experience. He is a reliable and solid driver who has already scored many points. I am convinced that he will form a great duo with Charles' raw talent to grow and win ». 

Vettel said on Tuesday that the level of his remuneration was not a factor in his career choice. We can easily imagine that the rise in power and the new status of Charles Leclerc, under contract until 2024 within the Scuderia, hastened his departure. The German finally made it clear that he wanted to take time to reflect before announcing his future projects.