Vettel considered F1 exit - Horner

LONDON, England - Before making the radical switch to Ferrari, Sebastian Vettel contemplated quitting F1.

That is the claim of Christian Horner, who as Red Bull team boss witnessed first-hand the Vettel's slide from four consecutive Drivers' titles to struggling in 2014.

In 2014, Vettel notably struggled to adapt to the sport's new V6-powered format, and failed to stand even once at the top of the podium while team mate Daniel Ricciardo won three grands prix.

'NOT HAPPY ANYMORE'

"You could tell he (Vettel) wasn't happy," Horner told reporters on Tuesday (Jan 27) as he presented to the media Red Bull's new line-up of Ricciardo alongside Russian youngster Daniil Kvyat.

"There was that feeling 'am I (Vettel) enjoying this as much as I thought I was?'" Horner explained.

"It was like someone had taken his toy away.  He went through a period of disillusionment about the direction F1 was going in.

"There was a stage in 2014 when he thought about whether he wanted to stop or not, whether he was getting the same level of enjoyment or not and whether or not he wanted to continue."

'TIMING WAS RIGHT'

Horner said Vettel (27), ultimately got to grips with the 'new' F1, but also true is that the German had been in the process of deciding to switch to Ferrari for 2015.

Horner said: "I think Sebastian (Vettel) felt the timing was right in his career. He needed that stimulus of a new challenge."

However, not everyone in the paddock is convinced Ferrari is the forum for Vettel to rekindle his passion, especially given the turmoil that has taken place at Maranello in the past months.

Niki Lauda, Mercedes chairman, said his team's current dominance was not born overnight, and "even for Ferrari it will take four years".

And if there are signs that Ferrari's revival might even take longer, "then Sebastian will start to feel the pressure, the politics, the media, which at Ferrari is twice as bad as it is at Red Bull," the F1 legend told Auto Motor und Sport.

Stay with Wheels24 for the 2015 F1 season – fresh reports every day.