F1 Sebastian Vettel Racing Point talking 2021; Sergio Perez also contacted

BUDAPEST, Hungary — Sebastian Vettel confirmed he is discussing a possible move in Formula One next season to Racing Point, whose driver Sergio Perez already has been contacted by another F1 team.

Vettel is leaving Ferrari at the end of the year and his future in F1 remains uncertain. Joining Racing Point could be an option providing it parts way with either Perez or Lance Stroll, the other driver.

“At this stage I think it’s talks. At a later stage, (as) with anyone, it would then get a bit more concrete,” Vettel said Thursday ahead of the Hungarian Grand Prix. “At this stage everything is still open: driving next year, not driving, maybe coming back (or) doing something different. I’m not feeling pressured to make my decision.”

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Options are limited for the veteran German driver, even with four world titles to his name.

His former Red Bull team has closed the door on Vettel returning, and Mercedes is expected to keep Valtteri Bottas as Lewis Hamilton’s teammate.

McLaren signed Daniel Ricciardo for at least the next two years, while Renault signed Fernando Alonso to replace Ricciardo.

Vettel was pressed further as to whether Racing Point is his only realistic option next year, other than taking a sabbatical from F1 or retiring.

“There’s two ways to look at it. One is on paper: which seats there are and which there are not,” he said. “The other one is that … I have been around for a long time and you never know, obviously things can always change.”

Racing Point will be renamed Aston Martin next year and has ambitions to compete at the top. Signing Vettel, despite his current lack of form with Ferrari, would send out a strong message in that sense.

“Everybody’s talking about Racing Point,” Vettel said. “The first two races have been impressive, the performance on track.”

Even though Perez is driving well so far this season, he would seem the more likely driver to make way, considering Stroll is the owner’s son. His billionaire father completed a takeover of British-based car manufacturer Aston Martin in April.

“I’m determined to stay here,” Lance Stroll said Thursday, brushing aside speculation. “It’s part of the circus, I guess. It’s all part of the silly season, rumors and so on.”

Perez has been in F1 since 2011 but is only 30 and still in his prime. The Mexican driver has eight career podiums and is a quick and reliable driver.

Talk of Sebastian Vettel’s potential arrival at Racing Point already has led to interest in his F1 availability next year.

“(This) week the (Vettel) rumors came out and we actually got contacted by a team in the paddock – I won’t say the name – and also from other (racing) categories,” Perez said. “I’ve been in Formula One (for) 10 years so I’m used to this stuff. In Formula One you never know (what can happen).”

He acknowledged that talk of Vettel’s arrival boosts the team’s image.

“It’s good to have big names (linked) to the team, it means we’re making good progress,” Perez said.

Vicki Golden has earned a career worthy of a thousand stories and 805 Beer tells at least one of them, as “Inverted Perspective” premiered March 30 on the company’s website and YouTube channel.

Golden did more to break the glass ceiling in SuperMotocross than she ever thought possible. She knows this because riders have never felt the need to explain any of her accomplishments with the disclaimer, “for a girl”.

At this point in Golden’s career, she’s been the first woman to finish top 10 in AMA Arenacross Lites, the first woman to qualify in the Fast 40 in Monster Energy AMA Supercross and the first woman to compete in freestyle Moto X competition, earning a bronze medal by doing so.

Her love for moto came from childhood while she watched her dad and brother ride. By seven she was on her bike and making waves throughout Southern California.

Golden, 30, is still madly in love with the sport and has no plans on moving away but her career is already one to talk about. 805 Beer’s film series wanted to do exactly that.

“I’m taken aback by it all,” Golden told NBC Sports about the documentary. “It’s just crazy to see your story, it’s one thing to live your life and battle everything that comes about but it’s another to just sit there and talk about it.”

805 approached Golden about the feature by asking, “Do you even realize that what you do, and your story is special?”

Golden took the question as a blank canvas to map out the highs and lows of her career and life.

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The title “Inverted Perspective” came from a brainstorming session with Dominick Russo and it highlights Golden’s outlook on the sport of SuperMotocross and her life in general.

“My whole life, my whole career was thinking differently and looking at things that shouldn’t be done and aren’t there, while being able to make a place for myself, where no one thought there should be a place,” Golden said. “It’s inspiring someone to think in different ways. It sums up my life.”

*Vicki Golden is not “fast for a girl”; she’s just fast. – 805 Beer*

While Golden is no stranger to the spotlight, this was the first time she’s been fully involved with the storytelling and creation of a feature about herself.

“It’s not like a full new experience,” Golden said. “Obviously, you get your standard questions about your upbringing and accomplishments, but I’ve never really put into perspective things that happened in my past with my dad and putting that to light. Also, certain other things that maybe got overlooked in previous interviews or films. I wanted to touch on these and Dom wanted to create a story. It’s just cool to see it come to light, it’s a nearly impossible thing to tell somebody’s life story in 40 minutes.”

Golden’s father was left paralyzed after an ATV accident, robbing him the opportunity to ride again. This happened a few months before the father-daughter duo was set to compete in the Loretta Lynn’s Amateur Nationals when Vicki was 12. While she might have been unable to grasp the severity at the time, it’s something she carries with her. Golden continues to ride in his honor.

Years later, an accident in 2018 nearly sidelined the then 25-year-old Vicki when a freestyle accident almost resulted in the amputation of her lower leg.

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Golden 805 Beer — *Vicki Golden has ridden a variety of disciplines in SuperMotocross, which gives her a unique perspective. – 805 Beer*

“Inverted Perspective” highlights her father’s diligence in helping Vicki continue with her career and the kindness and strength he carried while fighting his own battle.

“My dad was the entire reason that I started riding in the first place,” Golden said. “So, to honor his memory and to honor what we went through and how hard he pushed to keep our dream alive and keep everything going – in that sense then, it was really special to be able to honor him and talk about him.”

The 40-minute feature was filmed entirely in black and white, a stark contrast from the oversaturated world of motocross where the brighter the suit the easier it is for fans to find their rider and follow him in the race. By filming in monochrome Russo and Golden had the chance to focus on the race and track from a different perspective.

“It was cool to be able to film it differently,” Golden said. “It created a challenge in the sense of what was going to be more visually impactful for the film.

“I couldn’t be here without the companies that back me but at the same time, it’s not like the logos or colors disappeared, it’s just different lights shed on different spots. It’s just a cool way to do it and to take color away and still be impactful. When you think of black and white, you think of old school, the OG way of doing things.”

F1: Sebastian Vettel, Racing Point talking; Sergio Perez contacted by others

Vicki Golden and 805 Beer tell a unique story from an Inverted Perspective

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