Sebastian Vettel, Ferrari, Baku City Circuit, 2018

Vettel open to having “good kid” Ricciardo as Ferrari team mate

2018 Azerbaijan Grand Prix

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Sebastian Vettel said he is open to Daniel Ricciardo joining Ferrari as his team mate next year.

The pair were team mates at Red Bull in 2014. Vettel endured a win-less season while Ricciardo took three victories and out-scored his team mate in the championship.

However Vettel said he does not object to Ricciardo being his team mate again.

“I don’t mind,” he said. “We worked in the past for one year which was a scrappy year for me.

“In general I’ve known him for a long time, he’s a good kid. Obviously he had a good race in China, it’s good for people to see.”

Ricciardo today denied claims he has a deal in place with Ferrari to join them in 2019.

In China Ferrari appeared to use Kimi Raikkonen to aid Vettel’s attempt to win the race. Ricciardo said he would not be content to perform a ‘number two’ role at a team.

“These are certainly things that, wherever I may be or go, I would always make sure that there was some clarity. I wouldn’t want to go somewhere where I didn’t feel I had a chance.

“At the moment what I’m chasing is to try and be world champion. That’s my goal, my dream, something I really believe I’m capable of, so if someone said ‘we’ll let here but you can’t do this’, that’s not an attraction option to me.

“Is that the case somewhere? I don’t know. I honestly don’t know what’s going on with other teams. At Red Bull there’s always been really good clarity and I would say fairness, since 2014, since I’ve been there. That’s been certainly a nice environment and I would expect that environment everywhere.”

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Keith Collantine
Lifelong motor sport fan Keith set up RaceFans in 2005 - when it was originally called F1 Fanatic. Having previously worked as a motoring...

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41 comments on “Vettel open to having “good kid” Ricciardo as Ferrari team mate”

  1. Justin (@boombazookajd)
    26th April 2018, 17:05

    I love Dan and I really hope he joins Ferrari. His attitude, work ethic, and outlook are exactly what Maranello need in the new Ferrari culture. I also think he’ll help bring about a new look at Ferrari; that it isn’t bad to have two no.1 drivers, and in fact, is what they’ll need to win championships. I think his attitude is exactly what the Italian team, and Seb, need to light the fires. They are there with Merc, but I feel that whatever team ends up with Danny R, will be the team to beat in 2019.

    1. I dont really see him there, to be honest. I’m not really a fan of Red Bull, defly not more so than Ferrari, but I think if you talk attitude and outlook than Ferrari is a bit too conservative and political for him, definitely not a better place than RB.

      Weirdly, Mercedes, being a huge corporation thats trying very hard to nurse its brand values, and has someone like Toto Wolff as team principal, still seems a better place for someone like Dany.
      Which speaks volumes about their management achievements I suppose.
      The way they treated the Lewis and Nico conflict, the way they seem to manage (or not manage, which is something I’m not sure Ferrari is ever capable of) Lewis’ attitude and mood swings, their general willingness to play the long game and let their drivers race (at least for now) – it’s all a lot more modern and fresh than what the “new” Ferrari is, in my (very subjective) perception.

      I just dont see Ferrari accommodating for so much personality of that kind without someone like Marchionne freaking out at some point if things go wrong :)

  2. Vettel fan 17 (@)
    26th April 2018, 17:36

    The plot thickens…
    Clearly one of the main barriers that would have prevented Ricciardo from going to Ferrari has been broken down. It’s just a question now whether Ferrari will be wiling to step away from their driver 1 and 2 system and take two top drivers. Either way, I hope he goes to Ferrari.

    1. I think this is PR from Seb.

      If it materialises though, and they find themselves in a contender car I expect a intra-team battle of epic proportions

      1. @johnmilk

        I agree. This is the same talk as when Seb said he’d welcome Lewis as a teammate during the Red Bull days, or any other top driver he’s been pitted up against. Usually when he makes this statement, it’s kind of obvious that it’s not going to happen.

        Even if Ricciardo does go to Ferrari, as you rightly mentioned, it would be an all out war between those two teammates.

  3. I said it once, I’ll say it again; Ricciardo is hot property on a market without buyers. He’ll be at Red Bull come 2019.

    1. I’m inclined to agree.

    2. Justin (@boombazookajd)
      26th April 2018, 22:24

      Im sorry, without buyers? I’m not one to believe Merc is in any hurry to replace Bottas, he and Hamilton get along too well for them and I am not sure they are looking to go back to 14-16 all over again with the heated rivalry of Lewis and Nico.

      This is with all likelihood Kimi’s last year so if there’s any buyer, it’s certainly Ferrari.

  4. I think KR will retire and DR will take his place. Gasly will go to Red Bull.
    See, nothing complicated.

    1. Alonso to Redbull would be nice.

      1. Yeah, Verstappen and Alonso as teammates… Don’t know if you can create a more explosive duo

        1. Alonso to Mercedes and let 2 of the greats fight it out would be better

          1. I agree that would be awesome. Alonso is getting on a bit. Let have a top car and watch him go

    2. Apparently kvyat is a dark horse for the Ferrari seat come 2019.

      1. Not likely. I don’t remember the last time Ferrari even considered their development drivers for race seats – I think JEV is a good example here, since he was in a similar situation to Kvyat.

      2. Kvyat’s only role at Ferrari is to be a salesman in Russia.

  5. he goes there his career is done. its either merc or stay put at redbull. no way he will get a chance against ferrairs chosen #1 driver.

      1. @ajaya @nigel

        People always seem to forget how Massa got his chance in 2008 by beating No1 and reigning champion Raikkonen.
        They are not idiots they know Ricciardo is good enough to warrant a chance. If they want this they will get someone who doesn’t wanna go to Ferrari?

        1. yes, but ferrari does not like to handle two strong drivers (AFAIK)… and vettel is a whiny little b** when things are not going well for him, so ferrari are better off with this concept of #1, #2 .

          redbull and merc on the other hand handle these things well from what i have seen. they let their drivers hit it out,(to a certain extent)..

      2. People said that about him going up against RedBull’s number one driver.

  6. I would prefer to see Perez with Vettel as a clear number 2. RIC is on Vettel’s level. Not a good idea to have two Divas in the same room.

    1. And rob us of entertainment? Vettel needs competition in the other car ASAP

  7. I’d love to see those two go up against each other again. But public words and private words are usually very different in F1… let’s be honest, Vettel was hardly going to come out and say “No, he beat me last time and I don’t want proper competition from my team-mate.”

    And I’m not convinced Ferrari are ready to take the double-rooster approach, either. But I’ll live in hope…

    1. He could’ve said he didn’t think he’d be good for the stability of the team, which is of utmost importance, like hamilton did, no need to specify he’s afraid of him.

  8. YellowSubmarine
    26th April 2018, 20:33

    Headline edit:

    Vettel open to having “good kid” Ricciardo as Ferrari team mate “on condition that Ricciardo accepts number 2 status a la Kimi”

    1. Seems like Kimi doesn’t think he is SV’s number 2, so…

  9. “he’s a good kid.” – Mind games from Seb already. Ricciardo is only 2 years younger than Vettel.

    1. Ahah, true, then ricciardo at ferrari confirmed!

  10. Vettel needs a proper teammate like Ricciardo. I think at this stage of Vettels career, he mite be inclined to allow a driver like Danny Ric to join and actually have some competition like 2014. Im not holding my breath though

    1. @johns23
      I don’t think Vettel takes it too well when he’s getting beaten by a teammate. In fact, his strong support for Kimi to stay at Ferrari is proof enough that he doesn’t want any competition from his teammate.

      He’s at his peak when he’s got all the support from the team, and they focus purely on getting him the WDC. I think having Dan next to him on equal terms would throw him off his game and see his temper issues/toy throwing will surface again.

      1. So Raikonnen is no competition for Vettel. Are you watching the same races as everyone else. When reading the comments on this otherwise excellent forum, I often wonder where Todford gets all his drivel from.

  11. Ric will kick Seb’s rear if he joins ferrari… we all know that

    1. Who is “WE” I don’t know that and I am not part of your we. I am certain that there are many people on this forum that would be grateful if you didn’t make ludicrous statements on their behalf.

      1. @angie Indeed! As highly Ricciardo is rated in race pace and aggression, his weakness is one lap pace. 2014 was a spurious year for Vettel, much like Hamilton’s 2011, at Ferrari and Mercedes, more often than not he would start races behind his team mate.

  12. Ricciardo at Ferrari is an exciting prospect. Until China Ferrari looked to be a somewhat different beast – organised, quick, confident. Unfortunately they relapsed into old times in Shanghai, leaving Vettel out too long and losing the lead before keeping Raikkonen out and leaving him to finish (without a safety car) sixth.

    A breath of fresh air, a new approach and a new mantra within Ferrari could do them a world of good. For too long they have been holding onto #1 and #2 driver roles – in recent years Red Bull (Ricciardo vs Vettel) and Mercedes (Hamilton vs Rosberg) have showed that does not always work. In fact, it has only rarely worked in the last two decades. Mostly within Ferrari.

    Hopefully they learn from their Shanghai blunder and give us an entertaining season, possibly with Ricciardo fixed to take over Raikkonen’s seat for 2019.

  13. I don’t think Ferrari have changed or will change their attitude towards having a number 1 driver and going all out for the driver’s championship. But what I think people haven’t considered is that Ferrari may see Ricciardo rather than Vettel as a much more exciting prospect for that position in the team.

    1. Don’t know why they would. It is SV they hired and he’s the one sitting with 4 WDC’s. DR has everything to prove yet. I think Ferrari can see past a win from being on much newer tires due to a pit stop break from the timing of a safety car period, and a teammate who went off the track and handed him the opportunity.

  14. Ferrari have a real history of making or breaking peoples career´s, usually the latter. I don´t think that Ferrari would be a good move for Ric. I know winning the WDC is his top priority and he wants a car that can help him do that but it´s not as simple as that at Ferrari.

    If i were him and if it were possible, I would go with Mercedes or stay at Red Bull for the rule change.

  15. Why would Riciardo want to go to Ferrari???
    They’re not even sure they want to stay in F1.

Comments are closed.