Austin Texas - Ferrari's Sebastian Vettel has put talk of a contract extension to one side, emphasising ed that his main priority is to help the team build a better car to take on dominant Mercedes.
Formula One's most successful and glamorous team has yet to win in 2016, after four-times world champion Vettel enjoyed three victories in 2015, and is third in the standings behind Red Bull.
Vettel, 29, will be in the final year of his contract in 2017, when the rules undergo a major shakeup, but said there was no hurry to get a new deal wrapped up.
“I think we are all fairly busy at this time to concetrate on the four races that are left and in particular to prepare for next year so I think that's where the main focus lies,” he told reporters at the US.Grand Prix.
“I don't think it's that important to look into details,” he dded. “My contract is all fine for next year. So with a lot of things happening back at the factory, back in Maranello, we're very, very busy and that's where I want also the focus to be.”
Vettel's 37-year-old Finnish team-mate Kimi Raikkonen, the 2007 champion, will also be out of contract at the end of the 2017 season and is expected to leave with several candidates in the frame to replace him.
While Vettel is seen as a long-term prospect for the Maranello team, Ferrari principal Maurizio Arrivabene said recently that the German had to earn his place and a decision would be made next year on 2018.
“Each of us has goals,” he told Sky Italia earlier in October. “So it is only right that anybody, no matter who it is, earns their place and their salary.”