Red Bull driver Mark Webber says his decision to leave Formula 1 at the end of the season had nothing to do with the Malaysia team orders controversy.
The Australian said joining Porsche in sports cars had always been his "personal plan and I've stuck to it".
Webber, 36, was at the centre of a row following the Malaysian Grand Prix in March, when team-mate Sebastian Vettel ignored team orders to pass him to win.
He said he would miss parts of F1 but it was the right time to move on.
In an interview published on his website,Webber said: "I realise F1 is seen as the absolute pinnacle of motorsport and I've worked with some incredible people, in particular (Red Bull chief technical officer) Adrian Newey.
"I've driven in some of the toughest and most challenging conditions and circuits, and against some incredible drivers which I'll continue to do until the end of the year.
"Will I miss some of this? Yes, of course, but time doesn't stand still for anyone and it's time to move on to my next challenge."
Webber will compete in the World Endurance Championship, the centrepiece of which is the famous Le Mans 24 Hours race.
He has previously raced twice at Le Mans, taking pole position in 1998 in a car shared with Germans Klaus Ludwig and Bernd Schneider, but retired after just 19 laps.
The following year he suffered two accidents in which his Mercedes took off as a result of a design flaw, after which he said he would not return to Le Mans again.
But he admits he has since reconsidered his view, despite alluding to the fact that Danish driver Allan Simonsen was killed in the race last weekend.
"I accept that motor racing is dangerous but Le Mans is one of the most famous circuits in the world and, to be honest, I still see it as unfinished business and I want to do well there," Webber said.
"Le Mans can be cruel as we've just seen, but it's incredibly rewarding and that's part of the allure."
He said he had options to stay in F1 but "since F1 as a category wasn't on my radar for 2014, they weren't a consideration for me".
Webber, who has raced for Red Bull in F1 since 2007, said he would remain "tightly inside the Red Bull family".
Red Bull team boss Christian Horner said in a statement that they wished Webber all the best.
"His achievements in F1 are extensive and I am sure he will continue to push hard and build on that record until the end of the season," he added.
Red Bull said that "the decision on who will replace Webber will not be made until later in the season".
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