Vettel signs three-year extension with Ferrari

Ferrari have announced that Sebastian Vettel has signed a three-year contract extension with the team, ending months of speculation about his future.

The new deal, which follows the news of team mate Kimi Raikkonen’s one-year deal for 2018 earlier this week, means that Vettel will race for the Italian squad until the end of the 2020 season.

The four-time world champion’s contract had been due to expire at the end of the season, with paddock speculation suggesting Mercedes were interested in acquiring his services.

However, having previously indicated his happiness at Maranello, Vettel - who leads this year’s drivers’ championship by 14 points from Lewis Hamilton - will now look to build on a relationship that has so far yielded seven wins and 28 podiums since the start of 2015.

The news also means that Ferrari will field an unchanged driver line-up for a fourth consecutive season next year.