Sebastian Vettel, who only last week was linked with McLaren, has announced that he is to retire from F1 at the end of the current season.

"I have had the privilege of working with many fantastic people in Formula One over the past 15 years - there are far too many to mention and thank," said the German is a statement issued on the eve of the Hungarian Grand Prix weekend.

Over the past two years I have been an Aston Martin driver - and, although our results have not been as good as we had hoped, it is very clear to me that everything is being put together that a team needs to race at the very highest level for years to come.

"I have really enjoyed working with such a great bunch of people. Everyone - Lawrence, Lance, Martin, Mike, the senior managers, the engineers, the mechanics and the rest of the team - is ambitious, capable, expert, committed and friendly, and I wish them all well.

"I hope that the work I did last year and am continuing to do this year will be helpful in the development of a team that will win in the future, and I will work as hard as I can between now and the end of the year with that goal in mind, giving as always my best in the last 10 races.

"The decision to retire has been a difficult one for me to take, and I have 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 will focus on next; it is very clear to me that, being a father, I want to spend more time with my family.

"But today is not about saying goodbye. Rather, it is about saying thank you - to everyone - not least to the fans, without whose passionate support Formula One could not exist."

The four-time world champion lies third on the all-time list of Grand Prix winners, with 53 victories, behind only Lewis Hamilton (103) and Michael Schumacher (91).

"I want to thank Sebastian from the bottom of my heart for the great work that he has done for Aston Martin over the past year and a half," said Lawrence Stroll. "We made it clear to him that we wanted him to continue with us next year, but in the end he has done what he feels is right for himself and his family, and of course we respect that.

"He has driven some fantastic races for us, and, behind the scenes, his experience and expertise with our engineers have been extremely valuable. He is one of the all-time greats of Formula One, and it has been a privilege to have been able to work with him.

"He will continue to race for us up to and including the 2022 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, which will be his 300th Grand Prix entry. We will give him a fabulous send-off."

"Sebastian is a superb driver," said Mike Krack, "fast, intelligent and strategic, and of course we are going to miss those qualities.

"However, we have all learned from him, and the knowledge that we have gained from working with him will continue to benefit our team long after his departure.

"Aston Martin is a great project, with unlimited potential, and the groundwork that Sebastian has done last year, and is still doing this year, is crucial. When we become fully competitive - and we will - one of the architects of that future success will be Sebastian, and we will always be grateful to him for that."

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READERS COMMENTS

1. Posted by F1nerd, 29/07/2022 20:34

"Give the 'Hulk' a few FP1 sessions to bring him up to speed with the new car. He has always performed well when jumping in as a last minute replacement and has plenty of knowledge and experience."

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2. Posted by Motorsport-fan, 29/07/2022 17:08

"So Alonso it is then."

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3. Posted by trackrecords, 29/07/2022 0:20

"There's no way Schumacher will partner Stroll - only previous World Champions are allowed to out-perform Lance. Someone who is around his age or younger is too much of a risk to humiliate the billionaire's son, so it has to be an older/wiser driver who can nurture Lance..."

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4. Posted by BillH, 28/07/2022 18:22

"Aside from Vettel's driving I'll miss his wit, humour and that he actually cares and is knowledgable about grand prix racing history.

I certainly understand him wanting to spend more time with his family however, I wonder what his next mission will be? He's too good a driver at this age to sit at home for long (not a healthy situation on the home front seeing the family routine is based on the F1 workload and calendar) so perhaps a short break and then GT3 or WEC for a well known luxury automotive brand?

Either that or it's a job as a boring green, sustainability, "ambassador" being paid a lot of money to tell the rest of us how to live our lives while doing the opposite.

In terms of who goes where, recent Pitpass articles have two drivers of interest: Piastri and Ricciardo (both Aussies, coincidentally) to keep an eye on.

In the meantime, I'll watch these last F1 races and make the most of Vettel for the rest of the season.

"

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5. Posted by Defiant, 28/07/2022 16:48

"@ChickenFarmerF1, I think the slipping down was long since occurred.

He was undoubtedly a great talent, but his skills had slipped long before he left the Red Devils.
I for one won't be missing him next year. His constant waffle regarding the climate and oil and gas in particular has had him nipping at Sir Virtue Signal's heels in the cringe zone.

I'm thinking Anthony is probably on the money with the Danny Vic prediction. Either way, we'll be getting some rookies next year, and that's a good thing.

I'm just disappointed that we have even less than the miniscule hope we had previously that daddy would find something else for Lance to do and get him out of the drivers seat."

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6. Posted by Superbird70, 28/07/2022 16:23

"Maybe Ricciardo to free up a seat at McLaren"

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7. Posted by ChickenFarmerF1, 28/07/2022 16:16

"While sad to see him go, it was time. Every driver eventually reaches that time, and recognizing it and bowing out rather than slipping inexorably down the order is the right thing to do.

This may well set off a round of musical chairs. Hopefully that opens the door to Piastri, deVries, or the likes to get a legit shot."

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8. Posted by ClarkwasGod, 28/07/2022 13:52

"Done with style, and perfect timing. He's become a Real Champion."

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9. Posted by Anthony, 28/07/2022 12:32

"My money is on Ricciardo leaving McLaren and then joining Aston Martin. "

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10. Posted by kenji, 28/07/2022 12:12

"The variables are many but perhaps the time is ripe for an 'uber' offer to see if they can get Alonso. I'm sure that Stroll snr. could afford him but would he go? If the offer was big enough? They need someone with the F1 smarts gained over a long immersion. Shumacher would not be a sensible choice. At best he's lower mid field and not capable of leading and neither is Lance Stroll. One other possibility would be Gasly who is just itching to get away from Alpha Tauri. AM still have a massive uphill climb to be come any form of contender but the possibilities are endless.Ricciardo has set out his stall for the next year so who's left? Piastri would be a good option but he's still an F1 virgin and is basically a raw talent. as I said earlier, if Alonso hasn't signed on for anorther couple of years, he would be the best bet."

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11. Posted by BrightonCorgi, 28/07/2022 11:54

"My money is on Mick Schumacher replacing him. "

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12. Posted by Endre, 28/07/2022 11:53

"So Aston Martin is left with no driver to provide proper feedback for development. I don't see a bright future for this team. "

Sebastian Vettel announces retirement from F1

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