Former team mate believes six years at Ferrari 'wore Vettel out'

• Webber believes Ferrari tired Vettel out

• Vettel should continue in F1

• One year off from the sport could be best for Vettel

Mark Webber believes his former team mate Sebastian Vettel has been worn down by Ferrari and "doesn't look his age".

Vettel will leave Ferrari at the end of 2020, and if he doesn't win the World Championship this year then it means his six-year spell with the team will come to a close without him adding a fifth title to his CV.

Webber was team mate to Vettel during his four-year period of dominance at Red Bull, and believes Ferrari have worn him down.

He even told the German racer that he "doesn't look his age right now".

Sebastian Vettel. Image: Andrej Isakovic / AFP

He's done his best

Speaking on the At the Controls podcast, Webber said: "Sebastian has done his best with what he could to set the team up and have it in a position to win a World Championship in the last few years but it hasn't happened. So I think his confidence has been very much rattled with the lack of penetration that he was able to have with the Italian culture, that's a big thing.

READ: Six years and no bacon - The Vettel-Ferrari romance was nothing but a nightmare

"There's a sort of Germanic way of going about things, borderline robotic as we know they are. The English, Aussies, Kiwis, South Africans are somewhere in the middle and then you've got the Latinos at the other end. So that marriage I think just really wore him out.

"You can see he doesn't look his age right now, I've told him that several times. But he's had a good run at it, a hard run at it, but I think he's just worn down.

"And maybe he knows more about the car than we do. But anyway, he might have a year off, who knows? I think he doesn't feel he can get out of bed with a spring in his step driving for a red car right now and obviously as an athlete that's a problem."

Sebastian Vettel. Image: Getty Images

Mercedes link

Although Vettel has been linked with a Mercedes drive for 2021, Webber is struggling to see a realistic seat for him.

READ: A lack of 'understanding' caused Vettel divorce - Ferrari

He said: "I don't know where he can go, I really don't. Most of his career he's been sniffing around podiums, apart from the first year at Toro Rosso, which he still won a race in that first year. I don't see him at Renault at all.

"I see him letting it flush out off the back of '21 and then maybe has a bit of a look at coming back.

"His age is super young to stop, but because he did start early, the trophy cabinet's handy. I wouldn't be surprised if he stops, but I really hope he doesn't."

Sebastian Vettel (left) and Lewis Hamilton. Image: TeamTalk