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F1: Ferrari F150 Revealed, Vettel Hints At Red Bull Stay For ‘Next Few Years’

Ferrari on Friday became the first team to reveal its 2011 car.

At the famous famous team's Maranello headquarters, ahead of a track debut at nearby Fiorano, the wraps came off the F150 — a tribute to Italian unification and featuring an Itali


Ferrari on Friday became the first team to reveal its 2011 car.

At the famous famous team's Maranello headquarters, ahead of a track debut at nearby Fiorano, the wraps came off the F150 -- a tribute to Italian unification and featuring an Italian flag on the rearward-facing rear wing.

One front angle of the car reminded strongly of last year's championship winning Red Bull, but the rear of the car showed push-road suspension - unlike Red Bull's pull-rod - has been retained.

"As far as the looks are concerned the rules keep them (the 2011 cars) quite unaltered," said technical director Aldo Costa.

"The cars look like the ones from last year, but from a technical point of view they will be really different," he added, referring mainly to KERS and the double diffuser ban.

Designer Nikolas Tombazis, meanwhile, warned that the appearance of the car will change before it is raced in March.

"The entire body will be changed," he said. "We will have changes visually and also in performance for our first race."

(GMM)

Vettel Hints At Red Bull Stay For 'Next Few Years'

Sebastian Vettel on Sunday appeared to agree that rumours of a switch to Ferrari can be put to rest.

Ferrari president Luca di Montezemolo said earlier that there was "nothing" to the speculation that new World Champion Vettel could be Maranello's next driver.

At a sponsor event in Austria, the 23-year-old indicated he is happy at Red Bull, where if he finishes in the top three in 2011, he is contractually bound also for next year.

"I feel very good, both contractually as well as in my mind for the next few years," he is quoted by the German news agency SID.

"At the moment there is not much to discuss, but I'm still young," added Vettel when addressing his immediate future in F1.

Luca di Montezemolo has insisted there is "absolutely nothing" to rumours about Sebastian Vettel becoming Ferrari's next driver.

Insiders had interpreted recent comments by the pair as reciprocal flirtations about a joint future.

But as Ferrari's new F150 car was launched at Maranello and successfully debuted by Fernando Alonso at Fiorano, president Montezemolo on Friday played down suggestions reigning world champion Vettel could soon switch from Red Bull to the famous Italian team.

"I hope that (the next Ferrari driver) will come from the Ferrari driver academy, because that would mean that he's a top star," he said.

The cream of Ferrari's academy is 21-year-old Frenchman Jules Bianchi, who has been signed as a test driver for 2011.

As for Vettel, Montezemolo said: "There is absolutely nothing going on, apart from the congratulations for a wonderful season and the fact that he knew how to benefit from the last race in Abu Dhabi."

(GMM)

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