Alonso Announces Ferrari Departure, As Vettel Is Confirmed As His Replacement

Ferrari has officially announced that Fernando Alonso will leave the team at the end of the 2014 season and will be replaced by Sebastian Vettel.

The Spaniard’s fifth season with the Scuderia will come to an end this weekend at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, after 44 podium finishes and 11 wins secured him 1186 points.

Vettel confirmed at the Japanese Grand Prix that 2014 would be his final year with Red Bull Racing. He scored four world titles with the Milton Keynes-based outfit after being picked up by Red Bull’s junior team at the age of 11.

Alonso, who is expected to return to McLaren for 2015, said in a statement:

“Today is not an easy one for me, because even if I always look to the future with great enthusiasm and determination, at the end of this season my journey as a Ferrari driver will come to an end. It was a difficult decision to take, but a carefully considered one and from start to finish, my love for Ferrari was a prime consideration. I have always been lucky enough to make my own decisions about my future and I have that possibility now too. I must thank the team for that, as it understood my position.

“I leave Scuderia Ferrari after five years, during which I reached my very best level professionally, tackling major challenges that pushed me to find new limits. I also proved to be a true team-player, putting the interests of the Scuderia before my own. When I had to take important decisions about my future, I did so with Ferrari in my heart, driven by my love for the team. I am very proud of what we have achieved together.

“Thanks to the efforts of the men and women of Maranello, on three occasions we came second in the Formula 1 World Championship, two of them fighting for the title right up to and including the final race, running in a championship winning position for many laps. Without a shadow of a doubt, these five years produced some of the best moments of my career and I also feel that, in leaving the team, it is family rather than friends I am leaving behind. Now I look to the future with great enthusiasm, knowing that part of my heart will always belong to the Prancing Horse. I want to thank each and everyone of the team for the trust they showed in me.”

Vettel, who has signed a three-year deal with Ferrari and will partner Kimi Raikkonen in 2015, said:

“The next stage of my Formula 1 career will be spent with Scuderia Ferrari and for me that means the dream of a lifetime has come true. When I was a kid, Michael Schumacher in the red car was my greatest idol and now it’s an incredible honour to finally get the chance to drive a Ferrari.

“I already got a small taste of what the Ferrari spirit means, when I took my first win at Monza in 2008, with an engine from the Prancing Horse built in Maranello. The Scuderia has a great tradition in this sport and I am extremely motivated to help the team get back to the top. I will put my heart and soul into making it happen.”