I can’t stop Lewis move to Ferrari, says Vettel
SEBASTIAN VETTEl has claimed he is powerless to stop lewis Hamilton joining him at Ferrari next year. The two men were cordiality personified as they sat next to each other ahead of their fight over Monaco streets on Sunday. But Vettel broke the harmony by debunking one of the most persistent claims over his status at Ferrari. It has long been accepted that Vettel has the right to block any driver joining the team. Hamilton thought Vettel had that prerogative too, saying, as he addressed whether he would jump ship: ‘Seb has a veto so that wouldn’t happen.’ Vettel countered: ‘I don’t. I wouldn’t mind.’ Hamilton, 33, has still to extend his contract at Mercedes, which is due to expire at the end of the season. Both sides have long claimed it is a matter of when, not if. But the world champion yesterday toyed with the idea of racing alongside Vettel, saying: ‘I’m down to race with whoever. Any driver wants to go up against the best. It brings the best out of you.’ Hamilton is probably playing for more money where he is. He surely wants to be the highest-paid driver, a desire that would land him £40million a year, and so more than Vettel. Of his chances of victory this weekend, Hamilton, who was in the paddock on a motorbike with his initials inked on the machine, said: ‘We are confident about our preparation. It’s been better than ever before.’