Vettel buys dad a R3.4-million Ferrari

MARANELLO, Italy - Sebastian Vettel has bought his father a Ferrari.

Italy's La Gazzetta dello Sport, publishing a paparazzi photo of Red Bull's reigning quadruple World champion during the transaction, said he picked a Ferrari California and a personalised number plate. A Ferrari California can retail for the equivalent of R3.3-million.

At grands prix, 27-year-old Vettel commutes to and from circuits in a road car supplied by Red Bull's title sponsor Infiniti.

'A FUTURE AT MARANELLO?'

For a gift for his father Norbert, Vettel chose the iconic colour red and the personalised number plate HP N1 - 'HP' representing his birthplace Heppenheim, and 'N1' for Norbert.

The Gazzetta report said: "A sign of a future at Maranello?  Who knows!

"In 1995, Michael Schumacher was seen roaming the streets of Monaco at the wheel of a F355. And we know how that turned out."