Lewis Hamilton’s shock move to Ferrari hailed as a major coup for F1

Former Formula One drivers believe Lewis Hamilton’s blockbuster move to one of motorsport’s most prestigious teams represents a major coup for the auto racing league.

Mercedes confirmed on Thursday that the seven-time world champion will join Ferrari in 2025 after activating the release option in his contract.

This would end a 12-year team-driver pairing for Mercedes and Hamilton, described by team principal Toto Wolff as “the most successful pairing the sport has ever seen”.

Now recognized as a global icon, Hamilton first signed with Mercedes in 2013 and won six of his seven world titles with the team between 2014 and 2020.

However, an extraordinary run of success has ended, and Hamilton has not won a race since the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix in December 2021.

“Mercedes has been a part of my life since I was 13. It’s a place I’ve grown up in, so making the decision to leave is one of the hardest decisions I’ve ever had to make,” Hamilton said in a statement. there was one.” “But the time is right for me to make this move and I’m excited to take on a new challenge.”

ferrariMeanwhile, issued a brief statement Saying The team was “delighted” to announce that Hamilton would be joining on a multi-year contract.

The news stunned F1, with 2009 world champion Jenson Button saying he too was taken by surprise.

“It’s a huge thing for the sport,” Button told Sky Sports F1 on Thursday. Button competed for the same McLaren team as Hamilton from 2010 to 2012.

“This change is huge for Ferrari. I think it’s great for the sport. Everyone will have all eyes on Formula 1, especially Ferrari and Lewis,” he said.

Asked why Hamilton might have decided to make the move for the 2025 season, Button replied: “Obviously 12 years at Mercedes is longer than most people spend in Formula One. Spending time together and enjoying what they have, maybe he also wanted something different to spice it up a little bit.”

“It’s a huge thing and I can’t wait to see how he performs at Ferrari,” said Button.

The possibility of Hamilton joining Ferrari had long been the subject of intense speculation, although Hamilton had previously He said that he intended to stay with Mercedes for the rest of his life.

“Something has clearly changed, where either he doesn’t like what he’s seeing at Mercedes or he wanted a new challenge for this final stage of his grand prix career and he’s made the leap,” Martin Brundle. , a former Formula One driver and commentator, told sky news on Thursday.

“I think the greed was great for him – and it’s great for Formula One and it’s great for us.”

Brundle said one reason Hamilton decided to make the switch could be upcoming regulation improvements, with new rules set to increase the electrical performance of F1 engines in 2026.

The scheduled reset is the first major change to the rules since 2014.

“Remember, a lot of us were surprised when Lewis left McLaren to go to Mercedes-Benz, but he showed Lewis through (then team principal) Ross Brawn and others that ‘Look, when this The reset comes in 2014, so we feel we’re ahead of the game,” Brundle said.

“If Ferrari is saying, ‘We think we are going to be successful in regulation 2026’ … it is an action replay in that respect when Lewis moved from McLaren,” he continued. “It was difficult for Mercedes in the beginning but then of course they became an absolutely dominant winning machine.”

Australian racing driver Oscar Pisatri, who races for McLaren, appeared to echo the sentiments of other drivers on the grid following Thursday’s announcement.

In a post on social media site X, Pisatri Said: “Just came for a run. Did I miss something?”

The next Formula One season begins in Bahrain on 29 February.