Four-time world champion Sebastian Vettel on Thursday announced he will retire from Formula 1 at the end of the 2022 season.

After making his debut in 2007, Vettel went on to win four consecutive world championships for Red Bull between 2010 and 2013, the first of which made him the sport’s youngest title winner.

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In 2009, Vettel was promoted to Red Bull. With this, Vettel won four consecutive titles from 2010 to 2013, the first of which made him the sport’s youngest World Champion, setting the records for the most consecutive race wins (9) and race wins in a single season (13).

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But why did Sebastian Vettel leave Red Bull?

There is no one clear reason for Vettel’s departure, but likely a combination of many factors. Ferrari reportedly offered Vettel $92 million to come to Maranello, but he was also allegedly in tears when he told the Red Bull team principal that he would be leaving the team that made him a star.

More significantly, what has rankled at Vettel for many years is the asterisk that some have sat next to his name in the record books. There have been suggestions that he only won his four titles because he was in the best car available — the monkey in Rindt’s Lotus, for long-time F1 fans.

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Although Vettel has signed a deal to stay at Red Bull until the end of 2015, it is believed his lowly position in this year’s world championship triggered an exit clause that allowed him to leave.

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Vettel signed for Ferrari for 2015 and became Mercedes’ and Lewis Hamilton’s closest challenger in two title fights in 2017 and 2018, although he finished both years as runner-up. He left Ferrari and joined Aston Martin for the 2021 season, before announcing his retirement at the end of the 2022 season.