It has been a busy Thursday at the Yas Marina Circuit, with a number of announcements - including confirmation of Ferrari's 2015 driver line-up - being made ahead of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
Fernando Alonso will leave the Maranello-based outfit at the end of the 2014 season, with Sebastian Vettel being announced as his replacement.
Alonso joined Ferrari in 2010, following a brief return to Renault. Despite failing to win a title with the team, he scored 11 wins and 44 podiums over five seasons.
Vettel announced at the Japanese Grand Prix last month that 2014 would be his last year with Red Bull Racing. The German, who won four world titles with the Milton Keynes-based outfit and was picked up by Red Bull's junior team at the age of 11, has signed a three-year deal with Ferrari and will partner Kimi Raikkonen in 2015.
"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," said Alonso in a statement. "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."
In a separate announcement, Vettel 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."
Further down the grid, Lotus announced that European F3 champion Esteban Ocon will drive for the team in Abu Dhabi Grand Prix first practice. Former GP3 racer Adderly Fong will also take part in the opening session of the weekend for Sauber.
Caterham's driver line-up for this weekend's race was also confirmed. Will Stevens, who was previously the Leafield-based outfit's test driver before briefly switching to Marussia to take on a similar role, will compete alongside Kamui Kobayashi.
Commenting on his F1 debut, the Formula Renault 3.5 racer said: "I’m absolutely thrilled to be getting this opportunity and am very grateful to everyone involved at Caterham F1 Team for giving it to me.
"I feel ready for the challenge of my F1 debut and look forward to working as part of the team in a race environment after all the work we’ve done together previously in the tests I’ve completed and back at Leafield in the sim. Hopefully this will be something we will be able to carry through to the 2015 season together".
Later on Thursday it was announced that the organisers of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix have signed a new deal which will see the event remain on the F1 calendar beyond the 2016 season.
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| © Red Bull/Getty Images |
Alonso joined Ferrari in 2010, following a brief return to Renault. Despite failing to win a title with the team, he scored 11 wins and 44 podiums over five seasons.
Vettel announced at the Japanese Grand Prix last month that 2014 would be his last year with Red Bull Racing. The German, who won four world titles with the Milton Keynes-based outfit and was picked up by Red Bull's junior team at the age of 11, has signed a three-year deal with Ferrari and will partner Kimi Raikkonen in 2015.
"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," said Alonso in a statement. "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.
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| © Scuderia Ferrari |
"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."
In a separate announcement, Vettel 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."
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| © Caterham F1 Team |
Further down the grid, Lotus announced that European F3 champion Esteban Ocon will drive for the team in Abu Dhabi Grand Prix first practice. Former GP3 racer Adderly Fong will also take part in the opening session of the weekend for Sauber.
Caterham's driver line-up for this weekend's race was also confirmed. Will Stevens, who was previously the Leafield-based outfit's test driver before briefly switching to Marussia to take on a similar role, will compete alongside Kamui Kobayashi.
Commenting on his F1 debut, the Formula Renault 3.5 racer said: "I’m absolutely thrilled to be getting this opportunity and am very grateful to everyone involved at Caterham F1 Team for giving it to me.
"I feel ready for the challenge of my F1 debut and look forward to working as part of the team in a race environment after all the work we’ve done together previously in the tests I’ve completed and back at Leafield in the sim. Hopefully this will be something we will be able to carry through to the 2015 season together".
Later on Thursday it was announced that the organisers of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix have signed a new deal which will see the event remain on the F1 calendar beyond the 2016 season.
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