Outgoing Ferrari driver Sebastian Vettel has denied that the arrival of Charles Leclerc at the Scuderia played a part in his exit from the team.
Speaking to Italy’s Corriere della Sera newspaper, Vettel opened up on his time at Ferrari, including his Championship runs with the team in 2017 and 2018.
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Asked if he felt “betrayed” by Ferrari team principal Mattia Binotto, the four-time World Champion replied:
“No. It’s professional. I am old enough to understand and accept decisions. I had a long time to reflect on the aftermath. I don’t hold a grudge, I’m not the type.”
Continuing, he insisted that Charles Leclerc wasn’t a factor in his exit from the team.
“Charles has nothing to do with it. You have to look at the journey over its entire duration: after the peaks of 2017 and 2018, last year there was no progression and this year was even more complicated for several reasons.
“Yet we pushed hard to get back competitive. But I don’t think like that, about ups and downs. I was part of this team for six years and I was the first to want to help to recover,” Vettel concluded.
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