Mark Webber will leave Red Bull and Formula 1 at the end of the season

Mark Webber will leave Red Bull and Formula 1 at the end of the season, switching to Porsche's new World Endurance Championship project.

Red Bull Team Principal Christian Horner thanked Mark Webber for his contributions to the team over the past seven seasons. "I am sure Mark thought long and hard before making what has no doubt been a very difficult decision," Horner said. "His achievements in Formula 1 are extensive and I am sure he will continue to push hard and build on that record until the end of the season. We support Mark's decision, he has been an excellent addition to the team since joining us in 2007 and we wish him all the best in the next stages of his career." Webber is known as a forthright character - an attribute appreciated by the media but not necessarily by Red Bull themselves. His relationship with Vettel, who has won three world titles in the time they have been paired together, has, by and large, been fractious. It deteriorated during the 2010 season and was on full view to the world at that year's Turkish Grand Prix, in which they collided whilst disputing the lead. That season brought Webber's most serious title bid, however he ultimately lost out to Vettel, who became the sport's youngest ever World Champion aged 23. The German has not been the only source of frustration for Webber, who has felt Vettel receives preferential treatment at Red Bull, in particular from team advisor Helmut Marko - seen as the representative of owner Dietrich Mateschitz. Speaking on the podium after finishing second at Sepang, Webber said: "Seb made his own decisions today and will have protection and that's the way it goes." Rumours of a move to sportscars with Porsche started soon after. Webber has raced in the category before, for Mercedes in 1998 and 1999.