Hamilton’s announces blockbuster move to Ferrari

With the first 2024 car launch to take place tomorrow, news about a potential move to Ferrari from Lewis Hamilton in 2025 has circulated around social media. This comes after an announcement made by the Italian press this morning.

Image: Motorsport.com

As of 18:59, Mercedes F1 team took to social media to announce the departure of Lewis Hamilton at the end of the season. The team posted on their social media “Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team and Lewis Hamilton will part ways at the end of the 2024 season. Lewis has activated a release option in the contract announced last year”.

 

Ferrari soon followed on social media at 19:11 in a quick team statement on Instagram, “Scuderia Ferrari is pleased to announce that Lewis Hamilton will be joining the team in 2025, on a multi-year contract”.

 

Hamilton has cut his contract short, after a 2-year contract extension was announced last year for both Mercedes drivers in August. Having not begun the new contract, Hamilton has opted to make an early decision to leave the team at the end of 2024. Charles Leclerc and Ferrari announced a contract extension for the Monegasque driver last week, meaning Hamilton will be taking the seat of Carlos Sainz for 2025.

Image: Motorsport.com

Carlos Sainz took to his Instagram stories following the breaking news, to share a statement. The Spaniard commenting “Following todays news, Scuderia Ferrari and myself will part ways at the end of 2024. We still have a long season ahead of us and, like always, I will give my absolute best for the team and the Tifosi all around the world. News about my future will be announced in due course.”

 

Hamilton and Vasseur

 

Hamilton seems to already have a soft spot with his future team boss. Fred Vasseur and Hamilton already having a relationship spanning back 18 years, back in GP2 where Hamilton won his first season in GP2 in 2006, racing for ART GP, where Vasseur was team principal at the time.

 

Image: Motorsport.com

The relationship between the pair doesn’t seem to have changed over the years, Fred and Lewis have been spotted talking around the paddock on numerous occasions. Vasseur also paid compliments to the 7-time world champion at the Monaco GP, stating that no time would turn down the opportunity to sign a driver of that stature. It looks to be that Vasseur has had his eyes on Hamilton since his step up to team principal at the start of 2023, but the French principal insisted that he had made no offers at the time.

 

Mercedes relationship in 2024

 

With an announcement before the season has begun, how will the dynamic be at Mercedes between the team and Hamilton in 2024?

 

It’s no surprise Hamilton plans on leaving the team, the Brit has spoken up openly about his disappointment with the last two cars, the W13 and W14. The British driver hasn’t won a race since the 2021 Saudi Arabia Grand Prix and has only picked up a handful of podiums over the last two seasons, while his teammate George Russell picked up his first win at the 2022 Saõ Paulo Grand Prix.

 

The news seems to have caught Mercedes by surprise with all staff being called in for a sudden meeting at 2pm today, while Team Principal, Toto Wolff, calling in via video call while being away. The timing suggests that Hamilton doesn’t have confidence in the latest Mercedes challenger, the W15 set to launch in just under 2 weeks. Have Mercedes been caught out again, the last sudden driver change being Rosberg’s immediate retirement after winning the 2016 World championship.

 

With Hamilton itching to achieve a record-breaking 8th world championship and the time running out for the 39-year-old driver, is a move to Ferrari the right one for his title dreams? With previous failed opportunities from former world champions Sebastian Vettel and Fernando Alonso with Ferrari and no titles for the team since 2007, is Hamilton the answer for Ferrari winning again?