Sebastian Vettel will ‘throw himself into’ Aston Martin F1 project

Outgoing Ferrari Formula 1 driver Sebastian Vettel has vowed to “throw myself into” the Aston Martin project when he links up with his new team for the 2021 season.

Vettel has agreed a multi-year deal to join Racing Point when it rebrands into Aston Martin next season after his current deal with Ferrari expires at the end of 2020, with the Scuderia opting not to retain the four-time world champion and instead sign Carlos Sainz from McLaren to partner Charles Leclerc.

Speaking at the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix at Imola, Vettel said that he is already preparing himself to make the move to the Silverstone-based outfit and begin a new chapter of his career.

“I think obviously ’21 should be a similar in terms of the cars to this year but I think it will be a big challenge to get on top of everything,” Vettel explained.

“So come January, February, I’m going to throw myself into the project and try to make sure I have understood all of the things that are there to be understood before the driving, the testing and the racing starts.

“I don’t think there’s one particular thing to be honest, or one particular person [to know]. I think it will be getting to know the whole team and rhythm they’re working on – trying to establish the differences – and trying to contribute to make things better.”

Vettel is heading into his final four races at Ferrari - beginning with this weekend’s Turkish Grand Prix at Instanbul Park, where he won on F1's last visit to Turkey in 2011 - before he calls time on his Scuderia tenure after six seasons at Maranello.

“I think in the end it’s just like a relationship,” he said. "So I think I will miss the people, I think, obviously the spirit, I think the idea, Ferrari, the legend; I’ve obviously been a fan since I was a small child being inspired by Michael [Schumacher].

“But I think when you are part of it then you get to know the people, you get to see behind the scenes, so to say, and I think it’s going to be the people – but the good news is I will still see some of them regularly next year even if it’s in a different way.”