Horner relaxed over Vettel's red alert

Red Bull Racing team principal Christian Horner has no qualms with Sebastian Vettel’s talk of one day driving for Ferrari, playfully suggesting he can only do so when he is approaching retirement.

With a new Formula One season on the horizon, world champion Vettel has twice already this month spoken with affection about racing for Ferrari, and that he would also like a road-going model in his garage.

Vettel this week even jokingly remarked if he were not at Red Bull then he would pay Fernando Alonso to take a year-long holiday so he could replace the Spaniard and fulfil a dream.

With Vettel’s contract with the team due to expire at the end of this year - although Red Bull have an option for 2012 dependent on performances – it has naturally led to suggestions he could seek a move to Maranello for next season.

Ahead of the defence of his title with Red Bull, they are hardly the kind of comments one would expect of Vettel, although Horner maintains it is part of his team’s philosophy that a driver be allowed to express himself.

“The Italians get very excited when world champions talk about Ferrari, so maybe he’s been dreaming about Ferrari, but I think that’s about all,” Horner said.

“One of the things we encourage is a freedom of expression and so on, and Sebastian is his own person and he’s got his own opinions.

“I think any driver at some stage in his career would like to drive for the red team, and we certainly don’t hold that against him.

“He’s hopefully got a long future ahead of him but for the foreseeable future, and most importantly the immediate future, he is very much committed to Red Bull and likewise Red Bull committed to him.

“He’s grown up within the Red Bull family, and hopefully (will do so) for many years to come.

“Just before he retires he can go to Ferrari, and that could be another 10 years away.”

Horner has reiterated that if Red Bull continue to provide Vettel with a winning car, then he has no reason to want to move.

“It’s down to us to ensure we are giving him a quick car, and it’s down to him to ensure he’s performing,” added Horner.

“And what driver in the pitlane wouldn’t want to drive a Red Bull at the moment?

“He’s an important part of what we do and an important part of how the team moves forward.

“But that is more than a piece of paper or a contract, that comes down to relationships, down to trust, down to feeling comfortable in an environment.

“As I say, he’s grown up within the Red Bull family and all the success he has achieved within his motor sport career has come within that environment, and particularly in Formula One.

“How many races has he won now? Ten? And every one has been in a Red Bull-designed car.”

Horner, meanwhile, sees no reason why Vettel’s team-mate Mark Webber will not be with Red Bull beyond this season.

Despite the crushing blow of missing out on the title to Vettel last year, Webber is ready to start the new campaign hungrier and more committed than Horner can recall.

Quashing speculation this season will be 34-year-old Webber’s last hurrah in F1, Horner said: “Mark isn’t approaching this year that this is his final year.

“We both agreed to keep his contract on a yearly basis at this stage in his career because it’s important for us to see he’s got the speed, motivation, hunger and commitment.

“All of those things look undiminished at the moment; if anything, burning brighter than ever.

“So we’ll see how this season develops and obviously as we head towards the latter part of the summer then we’ll start to talk about the following season.”

Asked if he felt Webber would be with Red Bull in 2012, Horner replied: “If he’s delivering at the same level as he did in 2010, why not?”