Formula One legend Niki Lauda expects current world champion Sebastian Vettel to join Ferrari next season after Saturday's announcement at the Japanese Grand Prix that Vettel will quit Red Bull at the end of the current campaign.

"My logic tells me that Sebastian will now go to Ferrari. Why? Because Fernando Alonso has fallen out of favor there," said Lauda, who was world champion in 1975, 1977 and 1985.

"There is new management (at Ferrari), they need some new motivation in the team and, of course, Sebastian is the world champion, German, and in the same style as (Michael) Schumacher.

"Therefore, I want to say that with all the chaos at Ferrari, some German thoroughness can bring them something. I also think this switch of Alonso for Vettel is very good for Ferrari."

The 27-year-old Vettel, who has been crowned world champion for the past four years, announced he is leaving Red Bull at the end of the season after six years with the Formula One team.

The German has said an announcement on his future will be made shortly and he is widely tipped to be set to join Ferrari.

"This is not a decision based on recent results, it's more a voice inside of me that has continued to grow and this is a step that I'm looking forward to," Vettel said in Japan.

The defending champion has struggled this season and is ranked fifth in the world drivers' championship, with Britain's Lewis Hamilton leading the table with four races left.

AFP