@LewisHamilton to part ways with @MercedesAMGF1 to join @ScuderiaFerrari in 2025 on multi-year deal. #F1

Lewis Hamilton Ferrari 2025 – Seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton has made a shock switch from Mercedes to Ferrari next year on a multi-year deal.

Hamilton activated a release clause in his contract announced last August, thus this season will be his last driving for the Silver Arrows bringing an end to what is currently a 17 year-long relationship in Formula 1 with Mercedes-Benz and an 11 year-long partnership with the works outfit.

Hamilton’s decision comes after two challenging campaigns for the Brackley-Brixworth based-squad, who have struggled to adapt to the sport’s latest ground-effect era and have fallen behind Red Bull Racing in the pecking order.

It means Hamilton will partner Charles Leclerc, who recently agreed on a contract extension with the Scuderia beyond 2024, whilst Carlos Sainz will have to make way for the Briton at the end of the season.

“I have had an amazing 11 years with this team and I’m so proud of what we have achieved together,” explained Hamilton. “Mercedes has been part of my life since I was 13 years old. It’s a place where I have grown up, so making the decision to leave was one of the hardest decisions I have ever had to make. But the time is right for me to take this step and I’m excited to be taking on a new challenge. I will be forever grateful for the incredible support of my Mercedes family, especially Toto for his friendship and leadership and I want to finish on a high together. I am 100% committed to delivering the best performance I can this season and making my last year with the Silver Arrows, one to remember.” Hamilton concluded, credit to Mercedes for the quote.

Mercedes AMG Petronas Team Principal and CEO added: “In terms of a team-driver pairing, our relationship with Lewis has become the most successful the sport has seen, and that’s something we can look back on with pride; Lewis will always be an important part of Mercedes motorsport history. However, we knew our partnership would come to a natural end at some point, and that day has now come. We accept Lewis’s decision to seek a fresh challenge, and our opportunities for the future are exciting to contemplate. But for now, we still have one season to go, and we are focused on going racing to deliver a strong 2024.” Wolff concluded, credit to Mercedes for the quote.

Following the announcement that Hamilton will be swapping silver for red, the driver he will be replacing, Sainz, made his own statement on his social media account:

https://twitter.com/Carlossainz55/status/1753134900129956343/photo/1

#F1 Newsbites – Winter Break Edition. #Formula1