Sebastian Vettel has played down suggestions that he has already been guaranteed a race seat at the BMW-Sauber team for next year.
The 19-year-old German brought controversy to the garage of the Swiss based camp in 2007 when boss Mario Theissen insisted that he should appear in one of the race drivers’ seats on the Friday before every GP.
BMW is now reviewing this questionable policy, but Theissen’s affection for the youngster is well known and some observers wonder if the Vettel saga could be linked with Nick Heidfeld’s wait for a new contract.
The news agency ‘sid’, however, insists that Vettel has not been guaranteed a 2008 seat, even though he seems to be setting up for a long future at BMW by recently moving his residence from birthplace Heppenheim (Germany) to a small house near Sauber’s Swiss base.
The teenager himself is keeping quiet: “We will have to wait and see,” Vettel, who is racing in the Renault World Series this year, said.
He insisted that it is too early to think about what will happen in 2008.
Blonde Vettel, who now sports a cropped haircut after years with a Beatle-style mop, added: “There has only been three races of this season.”