Sebastian Vettel will retire at the end of the Formula 1 season. The four-time world champion has announced his decision and it has caused a big reaction in the paddock. When asked about his own future, Lewis Hamilton, who is two years older than the German, said he was not thinking about the end of his career just yet as he talks on the subject of retirement.

A page will be turned at the end of this F1 season. The German will retire after 16 seasons in the top echelon of the sport to devote himself fully to his family life. Following this announcement, Formula 1 observers are wondering about the future of Lewis Hamilton, who is two years older than him. But the British driver is not thinking about that and is thinking about the near future. Vettel’s decision will not influence him, he wants to be at the start next year.

Journalists did not fail to question Lewis Hamilton after the announcement of Sebastian Vettel’s retirement as the subject was already on the table at the end of last season following Max Verstappen’s victory, which the British driver found difficult to digest. But for the moment, retirement does not seem to be on the agenda.

“It’s a reminder for me that I’m in that part of my career where the people I’ve grown up with and raced with for so long are starting to retire. Will it be Fernando’s [Alonso] turn next? I will be the oldest, I guess,

“I’m not thinking about retirement because I’m thinking about how I can make this car better, what is the next step we need to take for this team to win again, what is the roadmap to winning another world championship,” Hamilton clarified in an interview published by the Mirror.

MORE F1 NEWS: Teams to protest Game Changer Aston Martin new wing

Hamilton says he is happy to continue as long as his body and mind will allow: “What are the steps we need to take to get everyone lined up in this sport, to do more to really start to reflect the work we are trying to do in terms of diversity,

“When I talk about fuel left in the tank, I’m still fighting for these things and I feel I have a lot more to do. I don’t think I’m going to get to the point where I’m completely exhausted and have nothing left, but I hope that’s a long way off,” the Mercedes driver added.

Lewis Hamilton was also keen to pay tribute to Sebastian Vettel’s immense career: “We talk about legends in our sport… I don’t really like that word, that title, to be honest, but I think he’s one of the greatest people we’ve seen in this sport and we need more drivers like him,”

“I’m sad because I’ve lost an ally on this side of the grid, but I know on the outside he’ll do great things and we’ll always be friends and I hope there are other things we can do together on the outside,”