Vettel plays down Lawrence Stroll ‘elbow bump’

(GMM) Sergio Perez hopes he gets the all-clear to return to his Racing Point cockpit in Barcelona this weekend.

Nico Hulkenberg is once again on standby for the Mexican, who missed both races at Silverstone following a positive coronavirus test.

Perez said this week that he only ever had “mild symptoms” and is ready to return.

And if he does, he will surely face questions about his future.

Sebastian Vettel, tipped to replace him for 2021, was not only seen leaving Silverstone in Racing Point boss Otmar Szafnauer’s Ferrari road car recently.

He was also captured giving a ‘elbow bump’ to team owner Lawrence Stroll.

“The simple act of greeting Lawrence Stroll or Christian Horner in the paddock suddenly becomes a huge story,” France’s Auto Hebdo quotes the quadruple world champion as saying.

“I also said goodbye to Toto Wolff,” Vettel added. “I don’t think greeting someone is the most impressive interaction you can possibly have.”

Some believe Racing Point may actually opt to pair Vettel with Perez for the team’s first season as Aston Martin next year.

But that would mean billionaire Stroll ousting his own son Lance.

“C’est la vie,” Lance Stroll told Channel 4.

“There’s a working relationship and there’s a father-son relationship. If he cut me from the team, it would be no hard feelings – it’s just business.”