The F1 world was taken by surprise when news of Hamilton’s switch to Ferrari emerged at the beginning of February, particularly in light of the seven-time world champion having previously suggested that he would end his career in the sport with Mercedes. Hamilton had signed a new deal with his current team in the summer of 2023, which would keep him at the squad through to the end of 2025.
However, activating a release option in his contract allowed Hamilton to put pen to paper with Ferrari, who he will join next season after his final campaign with Mercedes in 2024.
During pre-season testing in Bahrain, Hamilton sounded a positive note about his initial experiences with Mercedes’ new car, the W15. Outside of the car, though, the 39-year-old faced no shortage of questions about his impending move to the red team.
When asked about what had changed between signing for Mercedes last summer and opting to join Ferrari, Hamilton explained: “In the summer we signed, and obviously I, at that time, saw my future with Mercedes. But an opportunity came up in the new year and I decided to take it.
“I feel like… it was obviously the hardest decision that I think I’ve ever had to make. Obviously I’ve been with Mercedes for, I think it’s like 26 years they’ve supported me, and we’ve had an absolutely incredible journey together. We’ve created history within the sport, and it’s something I take a lot of pride in and I’m very proud of what we’ve achieved.
In joining Ferrari, Hamilton will again link up with Fred Vasseur. The pair previously worked together during Hamilton’s climb up the ranks in junior formulae and have remained in contact ever since. Hamilton acknowledges that the relationship was an important factor in enabling the move to happen.
“I’ve got a great relationship with Fred,” he explained. “Obviously I raced with him in Formula 3, and we had amazing success in Formula 3 and also in GP2, and that’s really where the foundation of our relationship started. We just always remained in touch. I thought that he was going to be an amazing team manager at some stage and progress to Formula 1, but at the time he wasn’t interested in that.
“It was really cool to see him step into the Alfa [Romeo] team and then when he got the job at Ferrari I was just so happy for him, and I think just the stars aligned. I think it really wouldn’t have happened without him, so I’m really grateful and really excited about the work that he’s doing there.”
HAMILTON TO FERRARI
In conclusion it seems both sides (Hamilton and Ferrari) are excited about this contract. With a top team and 7-time world champion, this could be a recipe for another great streak of wins.
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