According to sources, Lewis Hamilton, one of the greatest drivers in history, is poised to shock everyone by joining Ferrari instead of Mercedes next year.
After Mercedes staff members were told, Sky Sports News said on Thursday that the seven-time world champion’s 2025 transition will be made official. The replacement for Carlos Sainz, whose contract expires this year, is reportedly “as good as done,” according to ESPN.
Carly Hamilton’s and Ferrari’s reps did not immediately answer questions, and Mercedes declined to comment.
Hamilton would ride with Ferrari star Charles Leclerc after the Italian team’s multi-year contract extension was finalized last week, if he were to quit his present squad. Hamilton would then conclude the 2024 season with Mercedes.
Having won one world championship with McLaren before joining Mercedes in 2013, the 39-year-old driver has six titles to his name with the team. He was egged on by Red Bull’s Max Verstappen, who went on to dominate the 2022 and 2023 seasons, to lose what would have been a record-tying eighth title in 2021.
Representatives for Ferrari and Carly Hamilton did not immediately respond to inquiries, and Mercedes did not provide a statement.
In the event that Hamilton were to leave his current team, he would ride with Ferrari star Charles Leclerc following the Italian team’s multi-year contract agreement that was last week approved. The 2024 season would therefore end with Hamilton still at Mercedes.
Prior to joining Mercedes in 2013, the 39-year-old driver won one world championship with McLaren. He now has six titles with the company. Max Verstappen of Red Bull, who would go on to dominate the 2022 and 2023 seasons, encouraged him to lose what would have been a record-tying ninth title in 2021.
In addition, Leclerc responded to inquiries at the time over whether Hamilton would be welcomed into the team.
Lewis has accomplished a great deal in the sport and is an amazing driver. Lewis is a great teammate, and I think everyone on the grid would learn a lot from him,” Leclerc stated at the time, expressing his gratitude for Sainz’s partnership.
The likelihood that Hamilton would be in a better position to win an eighth title at Ferrari is by no means certain.
In the years following, Ferrari has signed all-time greats like Fernando Alonso and Sebastian Vettel, but has not won a drivers’ title since 2007.
