Lewis Hamilton, a seven-time world champion in Formula One, is expected to leave Mercedes at the conclusion of 2024 and join Ferrari in the 2025 campaign. On the Italian squad, the driver is anticipated to take Carlos Sainz’s seat.
If verified, Hamilton would depart Mercedes after 13 years and six world championship championships, making this one of the most unexpected moves in recent memory. In addition, he would be departing after just one season of a two-year contract that he had signed with the German team.
The BBC reports that senior sources have confirmed the move, although neither Hamilton nor the teams have done so as of yet. The team change is anticipated to become official very soon, and Mercedes is supposedly having a meeting with the entire team today to announce the departure of its star driver.
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Given that Ferrari was rumored to be in discussions with Carlos Sainz on a contract extension, the news is doubly stunning. The driver has been the Scuderia’s dependable force, helping the team win its lone Grand Prix of the 2023 campaign.
Nonetheless, it is believed that Hamilton’s friend, Ferrari president John Elkann, was informed that Hamilton may contemplate a move and moved promptly to facilitate it. It appears that Charles Leclerc, who recently inked a multi-year contract with Ferrari, will race alongside the driver.
The reports are the result of Mercedes’s two challenging years, during which time it has been unable to match Red Bull. It is unclear if anyone will be able to catch up to Max Verstappen before the rule book changes in 2026, despite the driver and the team admitting that the car is underperforming and showing indications of progress in 2024.
Hamilton has stated in the past that a race with Ferrari would be a good way to close his career, even if he recently expressed his desire to finish with Mercedes. That being said, it is unlikely that he is looking to kick up his heels. Hamilton has the potential to overtake Michael Schumacher as the most decorated driver in the history of the sport with only one more world championship victory. In the past, he has also been a perceptive assessor of racing teams. His transfer from McLaren to the struggling Mercedes occurred just before one of the most remarkable F1 streaks of victory.
More immediately, Mercedes will have to find a second driver to help it maintain its aspirations of winning the world title. George Russell has shown himself to be a very strong driver during his time with the club, but there are several F1 prospects who are committed to long-term commitments, so filling the spot next to his is important. However, Sainz, a comparable pickle, would fit right in.
