Italian and Spanish media delivered a seismic shock to the Formula One community on Thursday by claiming that F1 legend Lewis Hamilton will leave the Mercedes AMG Petronas F1 Team and join arch rivals Scuderia Ferrari in the 2025 season.
Hamilton, a stalwart with an illustrious record of 6 world driver's championships and 8 constructors' titles with Mercedes AMG, is poised to align with the most successful team in F1 history after the conclusion of the 2024 F1 season.
The 39-year-old, who initially clinched his maiden world title with McLaren in 2008, subsequently dominated the scene with Mercedes, securing an astounding 6 consecutive championships (2014, 2015, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020) to equal Michael Schumacher's world record of 7 driver's titles.
Hamilton is the most successful driver in F1 history with 103 wins and 104 pole positions. The new 2024 F1 season begins with the Bahrain Grand Prix from February 28 to March 2.
Filling Sainz's Shoes at Ferrari
Hamilton's alleged move involves taking over the spot of Carlos Sainz at Ferrari. This strategic shift follows Charles Leclerc's recent commitment to a long-term contract, extending his tenure in F1 for several more seasons.
With Sainz's contract set to conclude after the 2024 season, speculations abound regarding a potential move to Sauber, in anticipation of its transition to Audi in 2026.
Contractual Complexities with Mercedes
While Hamilton has the necessary paperwork in place to continue with Mercedes for the 2024 and 2025 seasons, emerging indications suggest a deviation from the initially perceived two-year deal.
Instead, a one-plus-one arrangement might be in the offing, featuring potential exit clauses at the end of the initial term, possibly by the close of the upcoming season.
Long-standing Rumors and Relationship with Ferrari
Persistent rumors surrounding Hamilton's prospective alliance with Ferrari have circulated for years.
Adding credence to these speculations is Hamilton's affable relationship with Scuderia team principal Frederic Vasseur.
The two share a longstanding connection, with Vasseur having previously overseen Hamilton in his ART Grand Prix squad during the GP2 series.
