Lewis Hamilton’s future is expected to be decided soon, and he is set for a spectacular move to Ferrari in 2025.
Sources claim that negotiations are progressing and could be finished by this week’s end, though it is unclear if a final contract has been signed.
Ferrari has been pursuing Hamilton for a long time, but the seven-time champion has previously turned down Ferrari’s advances because he believed Mercedes was providing a better path to success.
But after two difficult seasons for Mercedes, it seems like Ferrari is getting close to persuading Hamilton that we are a better option going forward.
It now appears that staying on for a second season may be Hamilton’s only option after signing a multi-year contract with Mercedes for 2024 and 2025 last year.
This implies that Hamilton will have a way out, meaning he can join as early as 2025 if he signs with Ferrari.
Mercedes and Ferrari have both declined to comment on the circumstances.
If Hamilton’s departure is confirmed, Mercedes will suffer a severe setback, as they negotiated a protracted contract with him last year in order to retain his services for this season.
Speaking shortly after the agreement was finalized, Hamilton made a point of saying he thought Mercedes had learned from its difficult 2022–2023 seasons and would have an opportunity to win it all again with its brand-new vehicle for this season.
Grand Prix of Abu Dhabi “I do have faith that we will get there; we have been here before as a team, and while we have a growing number of new members, we still have great values, and I see great focus within everyone,” Hamilton stated in response to questions from the media.
“I think they thought the fundamentals were good for this year [2023], and we just have to go here, and it’s not the case,” he continued. I was irritated in February because they hadn’t implemented the changes I had requested.
“However, with the adjustments we are making, hopefully I was correct, hopefully we are, and, well, we’re not sure what the Red Bulls will do.”
About Hamilton’s pledge to Mercedes, where he was supposed to see out his Formula One career, it is unclear what has set off a possible shift in heart.
The Mercedes wind tunnel has produced early signs that the new W15 will be a positive development for the team, and the German automaker has announced that technical director James Allison and team manager Toto Wolff have signed long-term contracts.