Seven-time Formula One world champion Lewis Hamilton will reportedly leave his seat at Mercedes at the end of 2024 and slide into Ferrari’s racecar for the 2025 season. The driver is expected to replace Carlos Sainz on the Italian team.
If confirmed, the move will be one of the most shocking in recent years and would see Hamilton leave Mercedes after 13 years and 6 world championship titles. He would also be leaving one season into a two-year deal that he signed with the German team just months ago.
Neither Hamilton nor the teams have yet confirmed the move, but the BBC cites senior sources as confirming the move. The team change is expected to be made official very shortly, and Mercedes is reportedly holding an all-team meeting today to announce its star’s departure.
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The move is double shocking because Ferrari was understood to be in talks with Carlos Sainz over a contract extension. The driver has been a steady hand for the Scuderia, earning it its only Grand Prix victory of the 2023 season.
However, it is understood that Ferrari president John Elkann, who is friends with Hamilton, learned that Hamilton might consider a move, and acted quickly to make it happen. Therefore, it seems that the driver will race alongside Charles Leclerc, who recently signed a multi-year deal with Ferrari.
The reports come after two difficult years for Mercedes, in which it has failed to keep up with Red Bull. Both the driver and the team have admitted that the car is underperforming and, although there are signs of improvements coming in 2024, it is unclear if anyone will be able to catch up with Max Verstappen before the rule book changes in 2026.
While Hamilton recently said that he hoped to end his career with Mercedes, he also said in the past that a stint with Ferrari would be a nice way to end his career. He is unlikely to be looking to kick up his heels, though. With one more world championship title, Hamilton could surpass Michael Schumacher and become the most decorated driver in the sport’s history. He has also historically been a shrewd evaluator of racing teams. His move from McLaren to the underperforming Mercedes came shortly before one of the most impressive runs of success in F1.
More immediately, this presents a problem for Mercedes, which will have to sign a second driver that can help it keep its world championship hopes alive. In his time with the team, George Russel has proven himself to be a highly capable driver, but the seat next to his is a big one to fill and many of F1’s top prospects are locked into long-term contracts. Sainz, who is a similar pickle, may slot into it nicely, though.
