In a move that caught the Formula 1 (F1) world off guard, seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton has left the Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula One Team to join Scuderia Ferrari in 2025. He will be racing alongside Monaco driver Charles Leclerc, replacing Spaniard Carlos Sainz.
The British driver, whose contract began on Jan. 1, said he “could not be more excited” about this new challenge in a LinkedIn post. The post showed a photo of him in childhood, go-karting in a red helmet, Ferrari’s iconic color.
“Today, we start a new chapter in the history of this iconic team, and I can’t wait to see what story we will write together,” Hamilton said when he visited the team’s headquarters in Maranello, Italy for the first time.
Since he joined F1, Hamilton has constantly been at the front of the grid. Hamilton made his F1 debut in 2007 with McLaren, missing out on the title by a point in his rookie season. The following season, however, he won his first championship in 2008. He switched to Mercedes in 2013 and became one of the most decorated F1 drivers, winning six world titles with the German constructor. He has the most wins (105), most podium appearances (202) and most world championships (7), tied with Michael Schumacher, another F1 great. He was also knighted by the Prince of Wales in 2021.
However, the last few years have been painful for Hamilton at Mercedes. Since the infamous 2021 season where he lost to Max Verstappen in the final race, Hamilton has failed to secure a single win in the next two seasons.
In 2022, Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA) introduced new ground-effect Regulations to promote closer racing and create more overtaking opportunities. Mercedes’ designs made their cars more vulnerable to these changes than others.
“I’ve driven so many cars in my life, so I know what a car needs. I know what a car doesn’t need. I think it’s really about accountability,” Hamilton noted in 2023 on his car struggles.
“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,” he said after activating a release clause in his contract with The Silver Arrows.
Ferrari, the sport’s oldest team, last won a driver’s championship with Kimi Räikkönen in 2008, who beat Hamilton by a whisker. Since then, the team has seen a downfall, affected by leadership turnover, strategic blunders, engine penalties and reliability issues. This season’s first two races confirm the Italian constructor’s troubles. In Australia, it finished eighth and tenth, whereas in China, both the cars were disqualified post-race.
By getting Hamilton onboard, The Prancing Horse is vying to undo their constructor and driver championship drought.
“Lewis is coming with a huge experience … and this will help the team to continue to grow up and to improve step by step,” said Ferrari Team Principal Fred Vasseur.
Unlike his fellow drivers, Hamilton has rarely switched constructors. Nonetheless, he is gelling well with his new team. He is taking lessons to learn Italian and indulging himself in the culture. He gave a speech in Italian at the factory and tried to shake hands with all the employees. The team’s factory in Maranello is also a five-hour drive from Monaco, where Hamilton lives.
Vasseur called his relationship with Leclerc “mega-good.”
“The most important thing is to keep this relationship, to continue to work as a team and to push as a team,” he added.
“We knew our partnership would come to a natural end at some point, and that day has now come,” said Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff. “We accept Lewis’s decision to seek a fresh challenge, and our opportunities for the future are exciting to contemplate.”
To fill the void left, Mercedes has promoted 18-year-old Italian driver Andrea Kimi Antonelli. He finished fourth in his debut at the Australian Grand Prix, becoming the youngest F1 debutant to score points.
Thanks to Netflix’s “Drive to Survive,” F1 has enjoyed significant growth among American audiences. The country, which had just one race in 2018, will host three this season. According to Nielsen Sports, it has over 750 million fans worldwide, topping the charts of the most famous annual sporting series.
Hamilton does not fail to draw attention off-track as well. He is the latest ambassador for Lululemon, is chairing this year’s Met Gala, and he has co-produced the upcoming film titled “F1,” starring Brad Pitt.
Although he is 40, Hamilton does not believe he is at the tail end of his career. With Ferrari, he has “this new burst of energy” to go for a record eighth world championship. In fact, he hit the ground running in the second race of this season itself, taking the pole position and winning the sprint race in the Chinese Grand Prix.
“If I was fortunate enough to win another title, which is obviously what we are setting out to do, I don’t see myself stopping.”