F1 champ Vettel on the brink of joining Ferrari

Fernando Alonso and Sebastian Vettel could “easily coexist together” as teammates, Ferrari principal Stefano Domenicali has said in a comment likely to send the Formula One rumor mill into overdrive. Media reports last month suggested Red Bull’s double champion Vettel had signed a precontract agreement with Ferrari, the sport’s most successful team, with a move likely in 2014. Alonso, a double world champion, has a contract with the Italian team until the end of 2016 and is very much the No. 1 in the current lineup with underperforming Brazilian Felipe Massa. Ferrari’s official website published Wednesday an interview of Domenicali and Formula One supremo Bernie Ecclestone by two German reporters who asked both men about Vettel. Presented with a photomontage of Vettel as he might look in Ferrari overalls, Domenicali smiled and said, “in life one should never say never.” “I think they are both intelligent guys and they could easily coexist together,” he added when asked whether he felt Vettel could only move to Ferrari once Alonso was no longer at Maranello. Alonso had a stormy time at McLaren when paired with Britain’s Lewis Hamilton, who ended his extraordinary debut 2007 season level with the Spaniard on points but ahead in the standings as runner-up. Massa had eclipsed previous teammates and none of his subsequent partners have troubled him. Massa has not been on the podium since 2010 and is out of contract at the end of the season. Ecclestone, who is close to 24-year-old Vettel, said he would not advise him to move while still so young but recognized it was a possibility. “Usually, a driver ends his career at Ferrari, therefore it could happen one day,” said the Briton, who played down the obstacles to an Alonso-Vettel pairing. “That wouldn’t be a problem: both are drivers who are always looking for a challenge and to be in the same team would be a new and big challenge.” “They would both think they can bear the other one, as they are sure of themselves and Stefano would do what was required to so that they were treated equally. “It would be a case of doing what I did at Brabham in 1979 with Niki Lauda and Nelson Piquet. I told them, ‘guys it’s simple: whichever one of you is quickest is the team No. 1,’” he added. From TheDailyStar