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Ferrari confirms Vettel in, Alonso out

For the past several months, a big shift on the Formula One grid has been rumored for next season, but with a big piece of the puzzle now confirmed, much of the speculation can end. Ferrari has announced that it is parting company with Fernando Alonso and bringing in Sebastian Vettel to take his place. The move is a big one for both drivers – each multiple World Champions in their own right – who have lead their respective teams for half a decade now, Alonso coming second in the championship three times with Ferrari, and Vettel having scored four consecutive titles with Red Bull. Vettel has long been a personal protege of former Ferrari driver Michael Schumacher, having won his first grand prix in a Ferrari-powered Toro Rosso at Monza in 2008. Now confirmed by the Scuderia for a three-year deal, Vettel will be driving next season alongside Kimi Raikkonen, who won the title for Ferrari in 2007. That was the same year in which Alonso last drove for McLaren, the team for which he's all but confirmed to be driving next season. The announcement from Woking reportedly hinges on the team's decision over who will drive alongside him, between Jenson Button, Kevin Magnussen or another driver altogether. The confirmation from Ferrari does, however, put to rest wild rumors that the series would move to three-car teams and that Maranello would field Alonso as well as Vettel and Raikkonen. Welcome Sebastian – Vettel and Raikkonen 2015 driver pairing Maranello, 20 November 2014 – Scuderia Ferrari announces that it has reached an agreement of three years duration with Sebastian Vettel, who will drive for the team as from the 2015 season. The driver line-up next season will consist of Kimi Raikkonen and Sebastian Vettel. "Scuderia Ferrari has decided to put its faith in the youngest multiple champion in the history of Formula 1" – commented Scuderia Ferrari Team Principal, Marco Mattiacci. "In Formula 1 terms, Sebastian Vettel is a unique combination of youthfulness and experience and he brings with him that sense of team spirit which will prove invaluable when, together with Kimi, they tackle the challenges awaiting us, as we aim to be front runners again as soon as possible.

What's it like to wakeboard behind a Ferrari F50? Glad you asked

Peons. Peasants. Plebians. Ohioans. You think the videos that show you water skiing or wakeboarding behind pickup trucks are cool? They aren't. Wakeboarding behind a Ferrari F50, though, is most assuredly awesome. Those over-wealthy Einsteins at YouTube channel Tax The Rich have released their latest stunt, which shows a charming yellow F50 towing a wakeboarder down what looks like an irrigation canal. It really is as cool as it sounds.

Can the Dark Knight pull off Enzo Ferrari?

Christian Bale is taking another role where he gets to be in close contact with cool cars. The former Batman has reportedly been cast as Enzo Ferrari in a biopic about the legendary automotive figure that's being directed by Michael Mann, according to Deadline Hollywood. Production is set to begin next summer. The film allegedly takes place in 1957 and is possibly related to the fatalities of 11 people that year in a Ferrari crash at the Mille Miglia. According to Road & Track, the story also might be based on the book Enzo Ferrari: The Man, The Cars, The Races, The Machine. Mann has been trying to get the tale of the sports car magnate made for years, and had previously been negotiating to direct a movie adapting the book Go Like Hell about Ford and Ferrari's epic rivalry at Le Mans in the '60s. Bale's casting seems like a challenge, though. The British actor certainly doesn't look much like Ferrari. Also, he's currently 41, whereas il Commendatore was 59 in 1957. Mann's film already has challenger, too. Robert de Niro is also developing a Ferrari biopic in Italy, and he's taking the starring role. That movie would reportedly tell the story of the sports car company from its founding through Enzo's death in 1988. Here's hoping both of them make it to theaters; the auto industry titan's life is plenty fascinating enough to support more than one big-screen tale. Related Video: