Ferrari announced Thursday
that Fernando Alonso is leaving their Formula One team, with
Germany's four-time world champion Sebastian Vettel taking his
place next season.
"Official: Sebastian Vettel is a @ScuderiaFerrari driver!
2015 line-up together with Kimi Raikkonen! #WelcomeSeb," read a
message on the team's Twitter account, announcing the
27-year-old's move from Red Bull.
Vettel, who won four consecutive titles after becoming the
series' youngest ever world champion in 2010, has joined Ferrari
on a three-year deal.
He said he is aiming to emulate his compatriot Michael
Schumacher at the Italian glamour team.
"The next stage of my Formula One career will be spent
with Scuderia Ferrari and for me that means the dream of a
lifetime has come true," Vettel said.
"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".
Schumacher won five of his seven titles with Ferrari.
Ferrari will be hoping Vettel's arrival will help
revitalise them after a long barren spell.
Their last world championship dates back to 2008 when they
won the constructors crown.
Vettel's new team-mate, Finland's Kimi Raikkonen, was the
last man to lead Ferrari to the driver's title, winning it
during the first of his two stints with the team in 2007.
Alonso, who came runner-up three times after joining
Ferrari in 2010 but failed to add to his two world titles
largely because of the team's failure to give him a competitive
car, is tipped to join his former team McLaren.
"Obviously it is a new chapter in my career, and I think I
felt it was the time to find new projects, new motivation. It
was not an easy decision to make," Alonso told a press
conference ahead of Sunday's season-ending United Arab Emirates
Grand Prix.
"I was in talks last year, but we waited for this year,
the new car, the new turbo era.
"I felt around summertime, September that it was time to
move, and I made the decision.
"Only time will tell if it is a good one or a bad one".
Earlier in the day Alonso, who won the 2005 and 2006 F1
world titles with Renault, said in a statement that Ferrari
would always be in his heart.
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED © Copyright ANSA
