Lewis Hamilton is just some weeks away from making the extremely anticipated change from Mercedes to Ferrari, as his transfer to the Maranello crew attracts close to.
The seven-time world champion is ready to affix Ferrari in 2025, the place he’ll crew up with Charles Leclerc. Lewis Hamilton has secured a profitable £39 million-per-year contract with Ferrari that runs by way of to 2026, with an choice for an extra yr, as he goals to safe a record-breaking eighth World Championship.
Hamilton might be changing Carlos Sainz, with the announcement of his switch coming even earlier than both driver had stepped into their 2024 automobiles in February. Carlos Sainz might be shifting to Williams subsequent season, the place he’ll companion with Alex Albon.
Each Hamilton and Sainz have not too long ago bid their farewells to their respective groups in preparation for his or her 2025 strikes. Hamilton’s departure from Mercedes was marked with a particular night on the crew’s Brackley manufacturing facility, the place 1000’s of followers and crew personnel gathered to have a good time his contributions and need him properly for the following part of his profession.
After 4 years at Ferrari, Sainz was given a memorable farewell by the Scuderia, as he and his father, Carlos Sainz Sr., drove the 2022 F1-75 automobiles round Ferrari’s Fiorano take a look at monitor in a heartfelt gesture from the crew.
Lewis Hamilton Engages within the Identical ‘Secret Conferences’ as Carlos Sainz Earlier than Becoming a member of Ferrari
The Spanish driver has already had the possibility to check with Williams on the post-season take a look at in Abu Dhabi, the place he recorded the second-fastest time behind Leclerc.
Though it was advised that Hamilton may also take part in the identical take a look at with Ferrari, Mercedes blocked him from doing in order he’s nonetheless below contract till the top of the yr.
Since Lewis Hamilton’s Ferrari contract doesn’t kick in till January, he’s anticipated to finish a take a look at session at Ferrari’s Fiorano Circuit earlier than the beginning of pre-season testing in February. Though the beginning of his official collaboration with the crew appears a way off, stories from the Italian information web site AutoRacer counsel that the 2 events have already had some preliminary conferences.
In keeping with the report, Lewis Hamilton has already made a “non-public go to to Maranello” forward of his 2025 transfer. These “secret conferences” echo those who Carlos Sainz had with Ferrari earlier than his personal switch in 2021, when he was nonetheless below contract with McLaren. The British driver’s go to highlights his eagerness to start this new chapter of his profession and his robust need to rise up to hurry with Ferrari as shortly as doable.
Lewis Hamilton’s Mercedes Farewell Season Didn’t Go as Deliberate
The outstanding partnership between Hamilton and Mercedes, arguably essentially the most profitable in System 1 historical past, will come to an finish after 12 memorable years. Sadly, the seven-time System 1 world champion’s last F1 marketing campaign with Mercedes didn’t unfold in the best way he had hoped. All through 2024, the Brit struggled to search out consistency together with his Mercedes equipment, because the W15 automobile proved to be unpredictable and tough to deal with. One in all Lewis Hamilton’s key challenges was qualifying, the place he was eradicated 4 instances in Q1. The 39-year-old driver was typically seen visibly annoyed together with his automobile and his performances, ceaselessly criticizing himself and expressing doubts about his velocity.
System 1 commentator Justin Bell has advised that Lewis Hamilton must shake off these self-critical ideas and strategy his time with Ferrari with a recent mindset, permitting him to showcase his plain expertise to the world as soon as once more.
Regardless of the struggles, Lewis Hamilton did handle to ship moments of brilliance all through the season, whilst he recorded his lowest profession end within the standings, inserting seventh. He secured two race victories—his first wins since 2021—and produced a outstanding drive from sixteenth on the grid to complete fourth in his last race with Mercedes at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
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