Time was running against the clock for Sebastian Vettel. The thoughts of a sabbatical or retirement were cropping up in his head. With a few teams already confirming their driver line-up for 2021, the options were drying up for him. But apparently, ‘Seb’ was as clear as daylight in what he wanted. And after much consideration, Racing Point was as well.

Did Perez’s Clause Help Secure Sebastian Vettel?

Just a few days before, a sequence of events led to Checo Perez announcing his departure. Less than 24 hours later, Vettel’s arrival was announced. However, the signing of the four-time World Champion was done owing to a completely separate clause. According to a report by F1 Insider, “Racing Point was helped apparently by a clause in Perez’s contract. According to this, the Perez team could quit without severance payment if the Mexican is behind his teammate Lance Stroll in the World Cup after the Italian GP.” 

Other media reports, including AMUS’ Michael Schmidt, also apparently seem to confirm this. “Aston Martin really wanted him. It will have cost the owners an estimated $40 million. The sum is made up of Sergio Perez accepting to pay Vettel and to forego the sponsors from Mexico. That shows how important the transfer was for the team. Vettel brings experience, technical understanding and attention. It is a real task to bring the team from midfield to the top.”

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Formula One F1 – Tuscan Grand Prix – Mugello, Scarperia e San Piero, Italy – Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel ahead of the Tuscan Grand Prix | REUTERS – Jennifer LorenziniIf this is allegedly true, then Perez’s departure would seem ruthless. The Mexican driver was out for two races to stay in isolation, having tested positive for COVID-19. In fair hindsight, if he was fit to race then, he would probably be ahead of teammate Lance Stroll now. Perez is currently 11th in the standings with 34 points but could possibly have been in Stroll’s position, had he raced.

Vettel To Lead The Charge For Aston Martin

Racing Point Team Principal Otmar Sfaznauer was also stated saying, “Lance has been with us for a few years. His father owns the team. When we thought about changing drivers because Seb was available, we thought about Checo because of options in the contract. These options didn’t exist with Lance.”

(Note: All quotes have been translated from German to English using Google Translate)

From all viewpoints, it made complete sense for the to-be Aston Martin team teaming up with Sebastian Vettel. The 33-year old German has made it known that the racing project takes greater precedence. For someone at the height of their career, finishing on a strong note would be the logical objective. But Perez and his fans would strive to believe that it was undeserved and unexpected. Checo Perez did give it his all to the team, even during the tough times of administration and lower-ranked finishes. It only however goes to show, that the sport is fiercely competitive alongside being ruthless and no one is really safe in the paddock.