Sebastian Vettel has announced his retirement from Formula One at the end of the 2022 season, ending a successful career in the category.
Sebastian Vettel has announced his retirement from Formula One at the end of the 2022 season, ending a successful career in the category.
Recently, Vettel indicated that a decision regarding his future was near, explaining that he planned to talk to his family about the options.
Now, the 35-year-old German has opted to leave F1 after fulfilling his current contract with Aston Martin.
Announcing the news, Vettel thanked the colleagues he has worked with throughout his career, including those at Aston Martin.
"I have had the privilege of working with fantastic people in F1 over the last 15 years - there are too many to mention and thank," he said.
"For the past two years, I have been a driver for Aston Martin, and although our results have not been as good as we had hoped, it is very clear to me that everything is being done for the team to run at the highest level for several years to come."
"I've really enjoyed working with a great group of people. Everyone - Lawrence, Lance, Martin, Mike, the directors, engineers, mechanics, and the rest of the team - are ambitious, capable, committed, and friendly, and I wish them all the best."
"I hope that my work will be useful in developing a team that will win in the future, and I will strive as hard as I can until the end of the year with that goal in mind, giving my best as always in the last 10 races."
"The decision to retire was a difficult one and I've spent a lot of time thinking about it; at the end of the year, I want to take some more time to reflect on what I'm going to focus on in 2023. It is very clear to me that, being a father, I want to spend more time with my family."
"However, the important thing today is not to say goodbye, but to thank everyone, without forgetting the fans. Without their passionate support, F1 could not exist.