Vettel, who received all of his championship titles with Purple Bull between 2010 and 2013, is among the many sport’s most profitable drivers having recorded 53 race wins and 122 podiums over the course of his 15-year profession.
Solely Lewis Hamilton and Michael Schumacher have claimed extra wins than the 35-year-old German, at present in his second yr racing for Aston Martin after a six-year stint with Ferrari.
“The choice to retire has been a tough one for me to take, and I’ve spent quite a lot of time enthusiastic about it,” Vettel mentioned.
“On the finish of the yr, I wish to take some extra time to mirror on what I’ll give attention to subsequent. It is vitally clear to me that, being a father, I wish to spend extra time with my household.
“However at present shouldn’t be about saying goodbye. Slightly, it’s about saying thanks — to everybody — not least to the followers, with out whose passionate assist Formulation 1 couldn’t exist.”
After successful 4 straight titles with Purple Bull, Vettel switched to Ferrari forward of the 2015 season.
Nonetheless, a fifth championship continued to elude him as he twice completed second behind Hamilton within the driver standings.
With Aston Martin, he has completed on the rostrum simply as soon as, inserting second on the 2021 Azerbaijan Grand Prix.
“I’ve had the privilege of working with many implausible individuals in Formulation 1 over the previous 15 years, there are far too many to say and thank,” mentioned Vettel.
“Over the previous two years, I’ve been an Aston Martin driver, and though our outcomes haven’t been nearly as good as we had hoped, it is extremely clear to me that every little thing is being put collectively {that a} workforce must race on the very highest stage for years to come back.”
Lawrence Stroll, the chief chairman of Aston Martin, added: “I wish to thank Sebastian from the underside of my coronary heart for the nice work that he has achieved for Aston Martin … over the previous yr and a half.
“We made it clear to him that we wished him to proceed with us subsequent yr, however in the long run, he has achieved what he feels is correct for himself and his household, and naturally, we respect that.”
His last race on the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix in November is ready to be the three hundredth of his profession — a landmark solely six different drivers have reached.
