Lewis Hamilton, a seven-time Formula 1 winner, has agreed to a multiyear contract with Ferrari and will leave Mercedes next year, the
two teams confirmed on Thursday. A legend of the game will now play for its most illustrious side thanks to the shocking move.
“Scuderia Ferrari is pleased to announce that Lewis Hamilton will be joining the team in 2025, on a multi-year contract,” a statement
from Ferrari said.
Hamilton, according to Mercedes, triggered a leave-related clause in his contract.
“The Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 Team and Lewis Hamilton will part ways at the end of the 2024 season,” stated Mercedes. “Lewis
has activated a release option in the contract announced last August and this season will therefore be his last driving for the Silver
Arrows.”
With this transfer, Hamilton can now focus on chasing a record-breaking eighth championship, opening an exciting new chapter in his
career. The 39-year-old Hamilton is expected to take Carlos Sainz’s seat, whose contract expires this year, and compete alongside
Charles Leclerc of Ferrari, who last week agreed a multiyear contract extension with the Italian team.
Hamilton remarked, “I’m incredibly proud of what we have accomplished together. I have had an incredible 11 years with this team.”
Since I was thirteen years old, Mercedes has been a part of my life. It was one of the hardest decisions I have ever had to make to leave,
as it is a place where I have grown up. However, now is the ideal moment for me to act, and I’m eager to
After winning one world championship with McLaren, Hamilton joined Mercedes in 2013 and has since won six with the team. Max
Verstappen of Red Bull came close to taking home the record eighth championship in 2021, but Verstappen went on to dominate in
2022 and 2023.
Ferrari and Mercedes have been in a tight race for second place in the constructors’ championship both years, with Ferrari coming out
on top in 2022 and Mercedes winning the race last year, despite Red Bull’s dominance over the previous two years.
It’s far from certain that Hamilton, who has battled recently at Ferrari, would be in a better position to win his ninth championship
there.
Even though they have signed all-time greats like Fernando Alonso and Sebastian Vettel, Ferrari has not won a drivers’ title since
2007. Despite a string of technical mishaps and tactical blunders during competitions in recent years, the squad is still regarded as a
prestige name in the industry.
The unexpected announcement was made just over a month before the Bahrain Grand Prix on March 2 kicks off the new season.
“I want to end on a high with my Mercedes family, and I will always be grateful for their unwavering support, especially to Toto
[Wolff] for his friendship and leadership. I’m fully committed to giving this season’s performance my all and making it a memorable
one as my final season with the Silver Arrows.” Hamilton
Last year, there were whispers that Hamilton was considering a move to Ferrari, but he refuted such reports during the Monaco Grand
Prix.
Naturally, there will always be conjecture during contract discussions. In the end, I believe that’s all there is to it unless you hear from
me,” Hamilton remarked, laughing that it might have been because the reporters were “bored” in between races.
At the time, Leclerc also responded to inquiries over whether or not he would welcome Hamilton to the squad.
Lewis is an amazing driver who has accomplished a great deal in the sport. Lewis would be a great teammate for anyone on the grid, in
my opinion, since everyone would learn a lot from him, Leclerc stated at the time.
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