It didn’t seem real. In fact, the very notion of what’s now been confirmed still feels so foreign, that it’d be akin to Paul McCartney ditching The Beatles for The Rolling Stones.
But yes: Sir Lewis Hamilton has activated the release clause in his Mercedes AMG Petronas F1 Team contract to join Scuderia Ferrari for the 2025 Formula 1 season.
Just months ago, the seven-time world champion had inked a two-year agreement with Mercedes, set to expire at the end of 2025. Now, he’s cutting it short to partner with Charles Leclerc, in a final bid to win one last title; thereby breaking the all-time tie between himself and fellow Ferrari/Mercedes alum Michael Schumacher for definitive GOAT status.
RELATED: Andretti-Cadillac’s Bid For 11th Formula 1 Team Hits A Major Roadblock
The exact dimensions of Lewis Hamilton’s Ferrari contract have yet to be revealed, though the Scuderia has noted the 39-year-old British motorsport titan has inked a “multi-year” deal, similar to that of his future teammate — once again proving the retired Sebastian Vettel‘s claim that everyone is a Ferrari fan (“Even if they say they’re not.”).
While Hamilton has earned 82/103 career race wins and 6/7 titles with the Mercedes AMG Petronas F1 Team — since departing from McLaren Racing in 2013 — at the time of this writing, it has been over two years since he’s recorded a Grand Prix victory (Saudi Arabia | Jeddah Corniche Circuit). If he has any hope of notching another world championship, it’s probably with another outfit.
Three extremely pressing questions remain unanswered:
- With Carlos Sainz now left in the lurch, who will be the first to offer him a seat?
- Will Mercedes tap Williams Racing’s Alex Albon or will they promote a junior/reserve pilot?
- How much of a reshuffle are we about to witness?
I guess we’ll just have to wait and see…
