Sergey Sirotkin has announced his retirement from racing aged only 27 after claiming that nothing will ever compare to Formula 1.
The Russian spent a solo season racing in F1, spending 2018 with Williams, however himself and teammate Lance Stroll were replaced by George Russell and Robert Kubica for the 2019 season, with Stroll following his father to Racing Point and Sirokin dropped.
Sirotkin finished last in the 2018 drivers’ championship, only scoring a single point in Monza, and after being a reserve driver for McLaren and Renault, he moved on to racing at Le Mans and in the GT World Challenge Europe Endurance Cup.
The Russian has now announced that we will no longer be driving, claiming that he will never be able to replace or relive his F1 dream.
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“I was 23 years old and the dream that I had been striving for all of my life ended,” he explained.
“As a sane person, and considering the global issues in our lives, I suddenly realise that my highest achievements are already behind me.
“Of course, after Formula 1 I had some very strong race and even at some point some very good career prospects in other series,” he said.
With Formula 1 being seen as the pinnacle of motorsport for so many, Sirotkin agrees that focusing on a racing career any longer would be a waste of his time and energy, with it unlikely for the Russian to ever get back to a full time race seat.
“I realised that I would not achieve more than I already had. It was a turning point when I realised I needed to look wider and not limit my growth and achievements to a racing career alone.
“I see no reason to spend time and effort on this. It would be more useful if I directed my energy in a different direction,” he suggested.
The 27-year-old has decided to focus on his own racing academy – S35 Racing – with it not being in the Russian’s interest to ever return to racing.
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“Will I return to racing, as I am often asked?
“The answer is no – you should not expect to see me racing again.
“As much as I enjoy driving, I don’t see it as a real opportunity for my development, even in the medium term.”