Four-time Formula One world champion Sebastian Vettel will retire at the end of the 2022 season, he announced on Thursday. “The decision to retire has been a difficult one for me to take, and I have spent a lot of time thinking about it,” Vettel, 35, said in an Aston Martin team statement.

Time to ponder

“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.”