Lewis Hamilton is only a few weeks away from making the extremely anticipated swap from Mercedes to Ferrari, as his transfer to the Maranello workforce attracts close to.
The seven-time world champion is about to affix Ferrari in 2025, the place he’ll workforce 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 12 months, as he goals to safe a record-breaking eighth World Championship.
Hamilton can 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 can be shifting to Williams subsequent season, the place he’ll companion with Alex Albon.
Each Hamilton and Sainz have just lately 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 workforce’s Brackley manufacturing facility, the place 1000’s of followers and workforce personnel gathered to have fun his contributions and need him effectively for the following section 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 check observe in a heartfelt gesture from the workforce.
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 check in Abu Dhabi, the place he recorded the second-fastest time behind Leclerc.
Though it was recommended that Hamilton may additionally take part in the identical check with Ferrari, Mercedes blocked him from doing in order he’s nonetheless beneath contract till the top of the 12 months.
Since Lewis Hamilton’s Ferrari contract doesn’t kick in till January, he’s anticipated to finish a check 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 workforce appears a way off, experiences from the Italian information web site AutoRacer recommend that the 2 events have already had some preliminary conferences.
In response to 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 beneath contract with McLaren. The British driver’s go to highlights his eagerness to start this new chapter of his profession and his robust want to stand up to hurry with Ferrari as rapidly 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 Method 1 historical past, will come to an finish after 12 memorable years. Sadly, the seven-time Method 1 world champion’s ultimate F1 marketing campaign with Mercedes didn’t unfold in the way in which he had hoped. All through 2024, the Brit struggled to seek out consistency together with his Mercedes equipment, because the W15 automotive proved to be unpredictable and troublesome to deal with. Considered one of 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 automotive and his performances, ceaselessly criticizing himself and expressing doubts about his pace.
Method 1 commentator Justin Bell has recommended that Lewis Hamilton must shake off these self-critical ideas and method his time with Ferrari with a recent mindset, permitting him to showcase his simple 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, at the same time as he recorded his lowest profession end within the standings, putting 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 ultimate race with Mercedes at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
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