Sebastian Vettel has made clear his future is with Ferrari as Mercedes look to replace newly-retired Formula One world champion Nico Rosberg for next season.
Ferrari — the oldest, most glamorous and successful team in the sport — failed to win a race this year and Vettel’s name has been one of those mentioned in media speculation following Rosberg’s surprise decision to walk away.
Rosberg, 31 and only the third German driver after Michael Schumacher and Vettel to win the championship, announced his retirement on Friday.
“I think it’s not a big secret that both myself and Kimi (Raikkonen) have a contract for next year,” four times world champion Vettel told reporters at the Ferrari World Finals event in Daytona, Florida, on Sunday.
“So it should be clear.
“I don’t know what is their plan,” he said of Mercedes. “But for us we look after ourselves for next year, there’s lots of things changing so we’re quite busy ourselves. We’re very positive for next year.”
Vettel, who won his titles with Red Bull between 2010 and 2013 and is still only 29, said Rosberg’s decision was a brave one because it was easier to carry on.
“I was 23 when I won the first title so I was having a different mindset. I wanted to go out and do it again, which looking back, I can say I did. I love racing and want to continue,” he said.
Mercedes non-executive team chairman Niki Lauda said earlier on Sunday that he expected a replacement to be announced before the end of the year.
The team’s German reserve driver Pascal Wehrlein, who won the Rookie of the Year award at the Autosport Awards on Sunday in London, is the bookmakers’ favourite.
“One season in F1 is not a lot but I feel ready for the job and confident,” Wehrlein told the audience. “I’ve done most days with the 2017 tyres and I think it’s very important to have that experience.”
*Reuters
Follow us on Twitter @NatSportUAE
Like us on Facebook at facebook.com/TheNationalSport
PRISCILLA
%3Cp%3EDirector%3A%20Sofia%20Coppola%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EStarring%3A%20Cailee%20Spaeny%2C%20Jacob%20Elordi%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3ERating%3A%203%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
The five pillars of Islam
1. Fasting
2. Prayer
3. Hajj
4. Shahada
5. Zakat
Global state-owned investor ranking by size
|
1.
|
United States
|
|
2.
|
China
|
|
3.
|
UAE
|
|
4.
|
Japan
|
|
5
|
Norway
|
|
6.
|
Canada
|
|
7.
|
Singapore
|
|
8.
|
Australia
|
|
9.
|
Saudi Arabia
|
|
10.
|
South Korea
|
SERIE A FIXTURES
Friday Sassuolo v Benevento (Kick-off 11.45pm)
Saturday Crotone v Spezia (6pm), Torino v Udinese (9pm), Lazio v Verona (11.45pm)
Sunday Cagliari v Inter Milan (3.30pm), Atalanta v Fiorentina (6pm), Napoli v Sampdoria (6pm), Bologna v Roma (6pm), Genoa v Juventus (9pm), AC Milan v Parma (11.45pm)
BMW M5 specs
Engine: 4.4-litre twin-turbo V-8 petrol enging with additional electric motor
Power: 727hp
Torque: 1,000Nm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 10.6L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh650,000
Dust and sand storms compared
Sand storm
- Particle size: Larger, heavier sand grains
- Visibility: Often dramatic with thick "walls" of sand
- Duration: Short-lived, typically localised
- Travel distance: Limited
- Source: Open desert areas with strong winds
Dust storm
- Particle size: Much finer, lightweight particles
- Visibility: Hazy skies but less intense
- Duration: Can linger for days
- Travel distance: Long-range, up to thousands of kilometres
- Source: Can be carried from distant regions
SQUADS
UAE
Mohammed Naveed (captain), Mohamed Usman (vice-captain), Ashfaq Ahmed, Chirag Suri, Shaiman Anwar, Mohammed Boota, Ghulam Shabber, Imran Haider, Tahir Mughal, Amir Hayat, Zahoor Khan, Qadeer Ahmed, Fahad Nawaz, Abdul Shakoor, Sultan Ahmed, CP Rizwan
Nepal
Paras Khadka (captain), Gyanendra Malla, Dipendra Singh Airee, Pradeep Airee, Binod Bhandari, Avinash Bohara, Sundeep Jora, Sompal Kami, Karan KC, Rohit Paudel, Sandeep Lamichhane, Lalit Rajbanshi, Basant Regmi, Pawan Sarraf, Bhim Sharki, Aarif Sheikh
The biog
Born: High Wycombe, England
Favourite vehicle: One with solid axels
Favourite camping spot: Anywhere I can get to.
Favourite road trip: My first trip to Kazakhstan-Kyrgyzstan. The desert they have over there is different and the language made it a bit more challenging.
Favourite spot in the UAE: Al Dhafra. It’s unique, natural, inaccessible, unspoilt.
More coverage from the Future Forum
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Company profile
Name: Fruitful Day
Founders: Marie-Christine Luijckx, Lyla Dalal AlRawi, Lindsey Fournie
Based: Dubai, UAE
Founded: 2015
Number of employees: 30
Sector: F&B
Funding so far: Dh3 million
Future funding plans: None at present
Future markets: Saudi Arabia, potentially Kuwait and other GCC countries
