Suddenly the winter break, when everything seemed calm just a few weeks after the first traffic lights went out in Bahrain, took a turn that we never expected, with a truly unexpected market scenario. The most talked about, rumored, denied time and again news has finally been confirmed with an official announcement: Lewis Hamilton will leave Mercedes from 2025 to join Ferrari and Charles Leclerc. The press release from Mercedes arrived in the evening which formalizes Lewis' farewell from the 2025 season. Everything is therefore ready for his arrival in Maranello, for the coup of the century.
11 years is a very long period, characterized in part by victories and world titles, but also by difficult periods, such as the last three years. The arrival of Lewis Hamilton in Ferrari marks an epochal change, due to the importance of combining the two names Hamilton and Ferrari. The arrival of Lewis was strongly supported by the presidency of the Maranello team will reshuffle the cards of each team, forever changing the landscape of modern F1.
Hamilton in Ferrari, it's now official
Fans waited with anxiety and trepidation for the official announcement even though the main media in each country had already given the announcement news for sure. Lewis' agreement with Mercedes, with which he had renewed until 2025, with a 1 + 1 option, would seem to have taken a different turn once Ferrari arrived. Hamilton's farewell comes after a difficult three years. First the failure eighth title in 2021 due to very close competition with Max Verstappen and Red Bull.
In 2022 and 2023, with the new regulations and ground effect cars, Mercedes found itself in the opposite situation, having to beg for podiums, in the face of a totally wrong project. With his advancing age, and a competitiveness that is lacking and that perhaps will never give him his eighth title, lThe only dream still achievable for Lewis after a long career was to wear the colors of the Cavallino. History meets history. The opportunity given by the non-renewal of Sainz, who will interrupt his relationship with Ferrari in 2025, meant that everything fell into place.
The press release of Mercedes
In the afternoon a meeting was held in Brackley with all Mercedes employees to whom the announcement of Lewis' farewell at the end of the 2024 season was communicated. A meeting chaired by Toto Wolff, who explained the reasons that would have led Hamilton to say goodbye to the team, with which he shared so much. The official press release from the team arrived in the evening Mercedes.
“Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team and Lewis Hamilton will part ways at the end of the 2024 season. Lewis has activated a release option under the contract announced last year.”
These are Toto Wolff's statements:
“In terms of a team-driver partnership, our relationship with Lewis became the most successful the sport has ever seen, and it's something we can look back on with pride; Lewis will always be an important part of Mercedes motorsport history. However, we knew that our partnership would come to an end naturally sooner or later, and that day has come. We accept Lewis' decision to seek a new challenge and our opportunities for the future are exciting to contemplate. But for now, we still have a season to go and we are focused on racing to deliver a strong 2024."
And from the person directly concerned, Lewis Hamilton:
“I have had 11 wonderful years with this team and I am so proud of what we have achieved together. Mercedes has been part of my life since I was 13. It's a place I grew up in, so making the decision to leave was one of the hardest decisions I've ever had to make. But the time has come for me to take this step and I am excited to take on a new challenge. I will be forever grateful for the incredible support of my Mercedes family, especially Toto for his friendship and leadership and I want to finish strong together. I am 100% committed to delivering the best performance possible this season and making my final year with the Silver Arrows one to remember.”
The press release from Ferrari also arrived a few minutes later
“Scuderia Ferrari is pleased to announce that Lewis Hamilton will join the team in 2025, on a multi-year contract.”
Now everything changes
As with the farewell of Vettel, another champion, this move will involve some pretty interesting seat changes. First of all we need to understand where Sainz will go, if he will migrate towards Mercedes. Alternatively, there would be other names in play to replace Lewis and join Russell. One of them is Fernando Alonso, but there is also talk of Albon. Could Valtteri Bottas return to Mercedes instead?
