London: Four-time defending world champion Sebastian Vettel on Saturday announced his shock departure from Red Bull and looked set to join Ferrari in a day of major upheaval in Formula One.
Vettel won all his world titles with Red Bull in a four-year spell of dominance, but he will leave at the end of this season and be replaced by Russian rookie Danil Kvyat, 20.
“I have decided to leave Red Bull at the end of this year,” the 27-year-old Vettel said in a statement on his website.
Team principal Christian Horner told reporters that Vettel had only announced his departure late on Friday, during preparations for the Japanese Grand Prix in Suzuka. “Obviously Ferrari have made him a very attractive offer,” Horner said.
It was an announcement that stunned the paddock, coming just two days after the under-performing Vettel laughed off speculation about his future. Two-time world champion Fernando Alonso is thought to be on his way out of Ferrari, a move which would leave a vacancy at the Italian team.
Vettel said there would be news on his next step “very soon”, adding that he had wrestled with the decision to quit the team that launched his career.
“Of course it is a big step and hard to make such a decision,” the German said on his website.
“The chance to drive in F1, the first win with Scuderia Toro Rosso, the four championship wins with Infiniti Red Bull Racing and many other great memories have bound Red Bull and myself together into a kind of family. No one can take these times away from us.
“Now I have decided to take the next step in my career… about my future plans, there will be an announcement very soon.”
Vettel graduated to Red Bull from feeder team Toro Rosso — current employer of his replacement, Kvyat — and became the sport’s youngest world champion aged 23 in 2010.
He made it four titles in a row last year, joining Michael Schumacher, Juan Manuel Fangio and Alain Prost as only the fourth driver with as many world championships. AFP
