Vettel deal Hamilton off radar for Ferrari

Sebastian Vettel is on the cusp of signing a minimum three-year contract extension at Ferrari, all but ending the Italians’ pursuit of six-time world champion Lewis Hamilton.

While Hamilton had been strongly linked to a switch from Mercedes, having met Ferrari chairman John Elkann twice for informal talks, F1’s shutdown has instead focused minds at Maranello on retaining Vettel, 32, whose

£36 million-ayear deal expires at the end of this season.