Sebastian Vettel stays in F1, to join Aston Martin in 2021

Racing Point says goodbye to Checo, welcomes Vettel

Sebastian Vettel may be out of his Scuderia Ferrari seat after the Italian team signed McLaren’s Carlos Sainz for 2021. But he won’t be out of Formula 1 just yet. A few days before Ferrari’s 1000th race at the inaugural Tuscan Grand Prix at Mugello, Vettel suddenly announced that he will be driving for Racing Point as they re-brand to Aston Martin in the 2021 season.

“I’m extremely proud to say that I will become an Aston Martin driver in 2021. It’s a new adventure for me with a truly legendary car company. I have been impressed with the results the team has achieved this year and I believe the future looks even brighter,” said the 33-year old German.

No doubt Vettel fans are rejoicing as the four-time world champion will continue to race Formula 1. Unfortunately, the move to Aston Martin did cost another points-scoring driver his F1 seat – Sergio Perez. Despite having a contract until 2022, it seems Racing Point has decided to let go of the 30-year old Mexican in favor of Vettel.

Perez made the surprise announcement of his departure just hours before Vettel made his move to Aston Martin. Furthermore, he added that he has no “Plan B” in terms of a drive for 2021.

Checo (Perez's nickname) released an official statement regarding his departure saying “Everything in life always has a beginning and an end, and after seven years together, my time with the team will come to an end after this season. It hurts a bit as I bet on the team during very rough times; we managed to overcome obstacles and I am very proud of saving the jobs of several of my teammates.”

The question now then is whether Perez will move to a different team such as Haas and Alfa Romeo. So far, the two teams have yet to officially confirm their driver lineup for 2021. More importantly, Kimi Raikkonen and Antonio Giovinazzi both have contracts expiring at the end of 2020.

Will we see Perez in the sport next year? We will have to wait and see. The 70th Anniversary and Italian Grand Prix aside, the Formula 1 season hasn't been the most exciting. But, as it turns out, all the excitement is happening behind the scenes.