The driver market for the 2021 season started long ago. The most important move of this time was the announcement by Ferrari that Sebastian Vettel will leave the Maranello team at the end of 2020. This caused the line of drivers to fill that vacant seat in the Italian team lengthened. In the end, Carlos Sainz was chosen to be Charles Leclerc's teammate. For his part, rumours began to appear about the future of Sebastian Vettel. Some imagined him at Renault, others at Mercedes, however, the German driver decided to join Aston Martin (nowadays known as Racing Point) instead of the Mexican, Sergio Pérez. Many people believe that this was a good decision by the German driver, but many others comment that it was a wrong decision. Vettel has not been on a Formula 1 podium since the 2019 Mexican Grand Prix, that is, just under a year. With this data as a preamble, Helmut Marko, who is Aston Martin Red Bull Racing's main adviser, has commented that he does not expect to see Vettel back in first place in a race, but podiums he does not doubt.

"He wanted to stay here [in Formula 1] and he thinks he has a good chance to finish on the podium with Aston Martin, from my point of view, that's a realistic thing." Red Bull’s main advisor commented. "Of course, I doubt very much that he can win seeing the car he has, I hope he does well on this new path."

Helmut Marko, during the interview with Sport1, also recalled a little advice that he suggested to Vettel, which was to take a sabbatical so that he could return stronger to the highest category and, perhaps, in a better team.

“I then advised him to take a year’s break. In that case, he would have been able to recharge fully in the meantime, and then return with new impetus and focus on the opportunities that 2022 can offer. I think that towards 2022 some seats could have become available for him.”

“Ferrari’s farewell is undignified, but that seems to be part of Formula 1.” Marko commented regarding the way Ferrari let Vettel go a few months ago.

This move by the German driver was the main trigger for much of the driver market, for example Daniel Ricciardo switched from Renault to McLaren after Sainz left McLaren for Ferrari following the departure of Vettel. This is Formula 1 and a simple change of drivers can turn into an extreme variation on the starting grid for the next season.