Sports Mole rounds up all of the latest news regarding Formula 1 on Sunday, November 15.
Sunday morning's Formula 1 news roundup:
Vettel to remain 'Ferrari fan' for life
© Reuters
Sebastian Vettel says he will remain a "Ferrari fan" even after leaving the Maranello team next month.
The 33-year-old joined Ferrari in 2015 amid high hopes of winning a fifth title, but this year he is struggling to match teammate Charles Leclerc after being told in May that he would be replaced for 2021.
"I was a Ferrari fan even as a child, I still am today and I will remain so in the future, even when we are rivals," German Vettel told Corriere dello Sport newspaper.
He said his positive impression of Ferrari was cemented in stone when, as a child, he watched his hero and later mentor Michael Schumacher dominate in red.
"Michael remains the greatest inspiration of my life, and I have always seen him in red," said Vettel.
Vettel said that while the last few years were difficult, he will always keep positive memories of the Italian team.
"Like the first year in 2015," he said. "I was on the podium on my debut and I won the second race.
"There are always ups and downs on the balance sheet," Vettel added, "but I met some great people and made some true friends."
For 2021, he is switching to Racing Point - which by then will be called Aston Martin.
Vettel admits he thought hard about retiring "but I think I can still give Formula 1 something".
"That's why I accepted Aston Martin's offer."
However, he said he is already on the downhill run to retirement. "I don't see myself as a 40-year-old driver like Kimi Raikkonen," said Vettel.
Kubica turned down world rally offer
Robert Kubica has revealed that he turned down an offer to make a guest appearance in a forthcoming round of the world rally championship.
The Pole, who turned to rallying full-time amid his recovery from a near-fatal crash some decade ago, told Eleven Sports he could not do the rally this year because of his reserve driver duties for Alfa Romeo.
"I was tempted by one person and they even wanted to meet, but I had to tell them that there is no point even in talking about it," Kubica, who finished 15th overall this year in his first season in DTM, said.
"If not for the fact that Bahrain is on the same weekend as the Monza rally, I would have been tempted to go there.
"It is a very interesting combination of rallying with a race track," said the 35-year-old, who actually won the Monza event back in 2014.
Kubica also ruled out switching full time to world rallying for 2021.
"I have too much respect for the discipline to do that," he said.
"You have to do everything the right way, and I know how much pain and energy it takes. Very few people understand how difficult it is, which is why I don't think I would be tempted to do the whole season in rallies."
More news from Formula 1:
Hamilton bemoans "shocking" conditions as Verstappen tops final practice
Lewis Hamilton could secure a seventh world championship on Sunday. Read more.
Turkish delight for Lance Stroll as Lewis Hamilton qualifies in sixth
Racing Point driver benefits from tyre choice in Q3. Read more.
F1 'won't work' long term amid corona crisis - Marko
The current state of Formula 1 amid the coronavirus pandemic "won't work in the long term", according to Red Bull official Dr Helmut Marko. Read more.
Result: Lance Stroll tops qualifying in rain-soaked Turkish Grand Prix
Lance Stroll is a surprise presence at the front of the grid. Read more.
Nikita Mazepin denies being arrested
Likely 2021 F1 rookie Nikita Mazepin has denied rumours that he was arrested in Abu Dhabi for breaking a coronavirus quarantine. Read more.
Wolff denies shaping up to switch F1 teams
Toto Wolff has rejected renewed speculation that he may be on the verge of quitting Mercedes and joining the Aston Martin team. Read more.
'Flexibility' in 2021 calendar - Carey
Chase Carey admits there is some "flexibility" in the unprecedentedly-long 23-race calendar for 2021. Read more.
