Red Bull
Red Bull consultant Helmut Marko thinks that outgoing driver Sebastian Vettel has been attracted by the chance to join an iconic team.
Vettel will leave Red Bull at the end of the year and while his destination has not yet been confirmed, the four-times world champion is expected to join Ferrari for the 2015 campaign.
"Ferrari is still the name in F1," Marko told the Official F1 site. "It’s a myth, so every driver yearns to go there in their racing career. Sure, much of it is about illusions.
"Sebastian has already won [the title] four times. Now it’s time for the myth. I also believe that the moment to move was ideal: Ferrari is down, and in such a situation you can dictate your conditions."
Marko said that he was not completely surprised by Vettel's decision to trigger his exit clause from Red Bull.
"I think the first suspicion that there was something brewing was after the summer break," he said.
"I cannot nail it down to an occurrence, but it was a strong gut feeling. Remember this: at least two things had to come together. It was not only a case of Sebastian wanting to leave, but also of Fernando Alonso clearing the way. The more Alonso distanced himself from Ferrari the more likely it became that Seb would move."
Marko is also sure that Daniel Ricciardo can step up to become team leader after Vettel departs the squad.
"If we did not have a ‘team leader’ then the situation would look slightly different - but we knew that Daniel would fill these shoes, so things were much easier," he said.
"We always knew that he can fill anybody’s shoes - and that all our drivers are always treated equally. The only difference will be that between him and Daniil [Kvyat] next year, he has more experience."
