Sebastian Vettel started the season knowing that he wasn’t going to be at Ferrari for next year. Since then, his on-track performances have only served to worsen the disappointment in him and his fans.

There is still a long way to go (10 race to be precise) for the season to end, but one gets the feeling that Vettel would do anything if it meant his season ended earlier. But then, what after that? He has no contract with any team so far, even the Aston Martin rumors have dissipated.

What will be his next move? Former Williams driver Ralf Schumacher chimes in with what he thinks could happen.

Schumacher says (translated by Google), “Now the really hard time is just beginning for him. Dealing between teammates is already getting tougher. you could see that in Spa. He is also excluded at important meetings. That doesn’t make it any easier for him.

“For him, it’s just about being ahead of his teammate in the last races and then going home and thinking about whether he wants to go on at all. At the moment it has become very, very quiet around him. It may well be that he has decided to take a year off.”

It seems very plausible for Vettel to go down that road and take a year off. After all, 2020 has been a very mentally draining season for him.

In the end, it may come down to the offers that he has on the table. So far, the availability of seats open for 2021 is dwindling. Furthermore, it seems very unlikely that Vettel would opt for another season at the back of the grid. So he may as well take a year off in 2021. And if a better opportunity pops up in 2022, he could come back.

Schumacher feels that Sebastian Vettel will be happy by the end of the year

No, not because his performances may improve to the extent that he wins races, but simply by ending the toxic relationship with the Prancing Stallion.

Schumacher says, “I think Sebastian will be happy in the end when the Ferrari adventure is over for him. You also have to keep in mind how you handled him. (Plus) the car is also really bad now.”

Maybe at the start of the season, Vettel would have been upset about leaving Ferrari all so suddenly. But when he’s on the plane home from Abu Dhabi, he might have a peaceful smile on his face.