In a brief statement issued via his team, Sebastian Vettel gives very little away.

In the statement, the German, news of whose departure left the paddock initially stunned and then totally manic this morning, thanks the team for 15 "enjoyable years" and "great memories", yet ultimately it feels decidedly hollow and lacking.

It reads:

"After 15 very enjoyable and successful years with Red Bull, I have decided to leave Red Bull at the end of this year.

Of course it is a big step and hard to make such a decision. 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 but first I would like to express once again big thanks to Dietrich Mateschitz, Dr Helmut Marko, Christian Horner, the whole Red Bull Family, Infiniti Red Bull Racing and Scuderia Toro Rosso. I would like to thank everybody within Red Bull for their confidence in me, trust and great support over the last years.

About my future plans, there will be an announcement very soon."