Seven-time Formula One champion Lewis Hamilton has been linked with a shock transfer from Mercedes to Ferrari subsequent yr.
| Photo Credit: AP
Seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton is about to make a shock change to Ferrari for the 2025 Formula One season, in keeping with reviews on February 1. Seven-time Formula One world champion Lewis Hamilton will make a shock change to Ferrari subsequent yr, after Mercedes introduced he would go away the workforce on the finish of the 2024 season.
“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,” Mercedes mentioned in a press release.
“I have had an amazing 11 years with this team and I’m so proud of what we have achieved together. Mercedes has been part of my life since I was 13 years old. It’s a place where I have grown up, so making the decision to leave was one of the hardest decisions I have ever had to make,” mentioned Hamilton.
“But the time is right for me to take this step and I’m excited to be taking on a new challenge.”
Ferrari subsequently confirmed the arrival of the 39-year-old Briton, who is because of associate their present driver Charles Leclerc, in keeping with quite a few reviews in Britain and Italy.
“Ferrari is pleased to announce that Lewis Hamilton will be joining the team in 2025, on a multi-year contract,” the Italian workforce mentioned in a press release.
The BBC reported that Mercedes workforce workers had been known as to a gathering with boss Toto Wolff at their U.Ok. headquarters on Thursday to be informed Hamilton will go away on the finish of the 2024 season and head to one among Formula One’s most storied names.
A transfer to Ferrari raises eyebrows as a result of Hamilton had signed a two-year contract along with his present workforce Mercedes for the 2024 and 2025 seasons, however that deal contained a clause permitting him to depart after one season.
Several reviews say Hamilton’s settlement with Ferrari was put collectively rapidly because the workforce was in talks with Spanish driver Carlos Sainz, whose deal runs out on the finish of this season, a few contract extension.
Hamilton gained the final of his world titles in 2020 however misplaced the 2021 championship in controversial style to Max Verstappen when the race director ignored the security automobile guidelines in Abu Dhabi, successfully blocking the Briton’s path to victory in each that grand prix and the championship.
The Dutch Red Bull driver, who’s 13 years youthful than Hamilton, has dominated the F1 scene ever since.
Hamilton completed sixth in the drivers’ standings in 2022 and third in 2023.
Ferrari, who’ve admitted they held discussions with Hamilton in 2019 about becoming a member of them in the longer term, declined to touch upon the reviews they had been negotiating a change for the 2025 season.
Hamilton has by no means hidden his anger on the 2021 incident in Abu Dhabi, believing he was robbed of an eighth title that might have put him forward of Ferrari legend Michael Schumacher.
He has made clear his frustration with the efficiency of his Mercedes automobile in the final two years and may imagine a transfer to Ferrari would allow him to reignite his problem for that elusive history-making title.
However Ferrari have additionally suffered patchy type in the previous couple of seasons though they appeared to seek out momentum in the direction of the top of final season.
That enchancment was not sufficient to stop Mercedes beating them to second place behind Red Bull in the constructors’ championship.
