BREAKING | Lewis Hamilton to join FERRARI from Mercedes in a shock move
The shock development was reportedly confirmed as Lewis Hamilton is looking to put up a challenge to Max Verstappen, who has been dominating F1 since 2021.
7-time world champion Lewis Hamilton will join Ferrari after his contract expires in Mercedes in 2025. The shock development was reportedly confirmed as the Formula 1 legend is looking to put up a challenge to Max Verstappen, who has been dominating the field since 2021. Hamilton could partner Charles LeClerc in the Ferrari hot seat.
The formal announcement will be made today by Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff. The 2024 F1 season is set to kick off on February 28 with Bahrain Grand Prix. The 39-year-old Hamilton has been with Mercedes since 2013 and recently signed a two-year deal with the side.
Sky Sports News said Hamilton would leave Mercedes after the 2024 season and replace Carlos Sainz Jr. at Ferrari. It didn’t cite any sources. The Daily Mail also said the deal would go through while motorsport.com said it wasn’t a done deal yet but negotiations were at an advanced stage and could be concluded this week.
When contacted by The Associated Press, Mercedes and Ferrari declined to comment on if Hamilton will join Ferrari.
The move would surprise many F1 observers because the 39-year-old British driver signed a new two-year deal last summer until 2025, although it remains unclear whether the deal contained an escape clause.
Hamilton won six titles with Mercedes in seven years from 2014-20 and lost the 2021 championship to Red Bull's Max Verstappen on the final lap of the last race. He has not won a race since 2021 and remains stuck on a record 103 wins.
If he joins Ferrari he would likely replace Sainz, considering Sainz's teammate, Charles Leclerc, recently signed a multi-year contract extension.
(with AP inputs)
Published By : Yash Bhati
Published On: 1 February 2024 at 16:28 IST