Lewis Hamilton to Ferrari – what’s happening in Formula 1?

In a shocking turn of events, Lewis Hamilton has signed a deal with Ferrari and will be leaving Mercedes in 2025.

Hamilton, arguably the most popular and successful F1 driver of all time, signed a contract on Thursday 1^st February to move to Ferrari in 2025 and race alongside Charles Leclerc. This was a shock announcement to say the least – the Brit had previously signed a contract to stay with Mercedes until 2025, but this had included a release date, meaning he could get out a year early.

There had been several rumours over the years, and especially recently, that Hamilton might go to Ferrari, however, no move ever came into fruition. Thursday morning saw the Formula 1 in mass panic with several sites and social media outlets claiming that Hamilton would be departing from the Silver Arrows team, leading to an emergency meeting at Mercedes. Later that evening, both Ferrari and Mercedes put out statements saying that Lewis Hamilton would be moving to Ferrari in a couple of years.

He will be joining the likes of Fangio, Lauda, Prost, Schumacher, Alonso, Raikkonen, and Vettel in the Prancing Horse hall of fame.

while most of the F1 has been celebrating this news, it must be heart-breaking for Carlos Sainz

As everyone knows, Hamilton is aiming for an eighth-world championship title after a dry spell, and with Ferrari failing to win a major title since 2008, it would be poetic if Hamilton and Ferrari could win a championship together; the most successful driver and the most successful team making a comeback together.

The main question is, what prompted Hamilton to officially make the move?

One idea is that Mercedes haven’t been doing very well since the heart-breaking 2021 season, so perhaps the seven-time world champion though that it was time for a change?

Another possibility could be his relatively rocky relationship with teammate George Russell. Russell joined Mercedes back in 2022, and in his first season he outperformed his teammate by a little over 30 points. Perhaps Lewis felt slightly threatened or upset?

A third theory circulated on the day of the announcement was that the W15 (the Mercedes car for 2023) was so poor that Hamilton decided to save himself from a failing team. However, this theory has been debunked. Firstly, according to team principal Toto Wolff, Hamilton told him that he would be moving on Wednesday 31^st January – before the car was tested, and also before official looking rumours started to circulate. Furthermore, he tested the W15 on Friday 2^nd February which, this time, was after an official announcement was made.

However, since we cannot go behind closed doors and see Hamilton’s relationship with the team with our own eyes or hear the conversations, we cannot assume any specific reason for the move.

several contracts are set to expire at the end of the 2024 season , so there will undoubtedly be a game of musical chairs to see which drivers go where

Another question that arose following the sudden statement was whether the news was supposed to be shared when it was. Given that it was so abrupt, and no one seemed prepared with official statements at the time, there are suggestions of a leak. Moreover, the day before it was made known that Andretti wouldn’t be able to join the F1 grid as the team would not “add value to the championship” according to Formula 1 Management (FOM). Due to this, there have been concerns as to whether the Hamilton to Ferrari news reached a new peak to draw attention away from Andretti and to take the heat off FOM.

Again, we will probably never be able to confirm any of these rumours for sure, so it’s best to keep up with the news and wait for formal statements.

However, while most of the F1 has been celebrating this news, it must be heart-breaking for Carlos Sainz who will be losing his seat to Hamilton. The Spaniard has given it his all dressed in red, earning his first win with the team in Silverstone back in 2022. He was also the only non-Red Bull driver to win in 2023, with his hard work and determination on display for all to see. The question that opens up is: where will Sainz go in 2025? Will he take a year out, or join another team? Many fans believe that he will join Stake for a year before moving to Audi the following year (Stake are poised to develop into Audi); given that he has connections with the team, this is a possibility. Another possibility is that he might join Visa Cash App RB team (formerly known as AlphaTauri) as he began his junior career with the Red Bull team. Whatever happens, the smooth operator has plenty of options.

Additionally, several contracts are set to expire at the end of the 2024 season , so there will undoubtedly be a game of musical chairs to see which drivers go where. Some may retire, and we may see some new faces in F1.

All in all, it’s safe to say that ‘silly season’ has started early, and it will be exciting to see what 2024 will bring to F1. It will also be interesting to see how Hamilton adapts to Ferrari in 2025 and what his relationship will be like with a fresh team.