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Seven-time F1 world champion Lewis Hamilton will make a sensational switch from Mercedes to Ferrari next year on a multi-year contract, a move he called “one of the hardest decisions I have ever had to make”.
Hamilton has raced for the Silver Arrows since the 2013 season and has won six of his seven world titles with the team, adding to the crown he achieved at McLaren earlier in his career.
He had also re-committed to Mercedes last summer, signing a new deal to keep him aboard through 2025, but this will now be cut short to allow for his headline-making move.
Hamilton’s decision comes after two challenging seasons for the Brackley squad, who have struggled to adapt to F1’s latest ground effect era and have dropped behind Red Bull in the pecking order.
It means Hamilton will link up with Charles Leclerc, who recently agreed an extension with the Scuderia “beyond 2024”, while Carlos Sainz will have to make way at the end of this year.
On Thursday evening, Mercedes confirmed that both they and Hamilton would be parting ways at the end of 2024 with Hamilton activating a release option in his contract. Ferrari soon followed by announcing the seven-time world champion would be joining from 2025 on a multi-year contract.
“I have had an amazing 11 years with this team [Mercedes] and I’m so proud of what we have achieved together,” said Hamilton. “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.
