Four-time World Champion Sebastian Vettel Will Step Down From Formula 1 At End Of Current Season

Four-time World Champion Sebastian Vettel said he will step down from the Formula 1 at the end of the current season. The 35-year-old admitted that the decision was "difficult" and said he "spent a lot of time thinking about it".

The German stated that he will "take some time to reflect on what he would be focusing on in the coming year" towards the end in the calendar year. He also said that spending moments with his children was his top prioritization. Vettel is set to depart the sport after being an extremely successful driver of all time. Only Lewis Hamilton, Michael Schumacher and Juan Manuel Fangio have won more world championships than Vettel, and only Hamilton and Schumacher have more than his 53 race wins. He also said: "Today is not about saying goodbye. It's more about saying thank you to everyone and not the least of all for the supporters, whose fervent dedication F1 would not be able to exist."

Vettel, the driver who was the winner of four consecutive titles as a driver in the team of Red Bull from 2010 to 2013, said he "really loved" his time at Aston Martin in 2021 and 2022. He added: "Although our results have not been as impressive as we'd like however, it's evident for me to see that the pieces are coming together for a team to compete at the top level for the future years.

"I am hoping that the work I put into last year and plan to do in the coming year will assist in the creation of a team that will be successful in the future. I will do as much as I can from now until the final day of the year keeping the aim in mind. I will give every effort over the last 10 races." Aston Martin had wanted to keep Vettel for the next season, but Vettel decided to take retire from the sport. In recent years, he has become a prominent advocate on environmental and social issues. Vettel is a man who has been averse to social media in the past However, he created the Instagram account recently, just before his retirement announcement and his bio on the account describes his status as "public persona".

The player wrote, "I love this sport however, just as there's the track, there's my life off track too. Racing as a driver is not my only personal identity. "I believe in progress and change, and believe that every little amount can make a difference. "Committing to my passions does not have to go along with my desire to be an excellent father and husband." He said: "I feel we live in extremely crucial times, and the way we influence the next few years will define our lives.

"My passion for music is tied to certain aspects that I've come to hate. These issues could be resolved in the future, but the desire to implement the change must become more fervent and must result in action today and we can't afford to sit around waiting. "My most memorable race is to be." Aston Martin have made no announcement regarding an alternative for Vettel this season.