Lewis Hamilton's move to Ferrari has been CONFIRMED, with the Brit issuing a heartfelt statement thanking Mercedes for the move in 2025 as he looks to finally win an eighth world title
Lewis Hamilton has electrified Formula 1 by signing a deal worth more than £40 million to complete his career at Ferrari.
Last night it was even confirmed that the seven-time world champion will join the world's most famous sports brand from 2025, even if the drama at football's transfer deadline.
When he heard the news, there were hollow faces and distraught faces at Mercedes, the team where Hamilton, 39, has won six of his seven world championships. They didn't see this coming. Mail Sport understands that his team boss Toto Wolff was shocked to hear about the news on Tuesday.
Hamilton had claimed he would end his career with the Silver Arrows. He said he would be a brand ambassador there for the rest of his life. Not so.
It has been an opposing preoccupation of Hamilton's life to one day drive for Ferrari, a dream that dates back to after his debut in Grand Prix racing that began in 2007.
It has been confirmed that Lewis Hamilton will drive for Ferrari from 2025
The move ends his 13-year stay at Mercedes, where he won six world titles
Hamilton will drive alongside Charles Leclerc (left), who has previously said Hamilton would be an ideal teammate
As this newspaper reported in May last year, he was in talks with Ferrari to join them. Yet Hamilton, Ferrari team boss Fred Vasseur and Wolff publicly disdained this idea.
The landmark deal was brokered during secret negotiations with Ferrari President John Elkann, the chosen heir to the Fiat dynasty embellished in large part by his grandfather, the late Gianni Agnelli, playboy superstar and supreme multi-billionaire industrialist of the post-war Italy.
In a statement issued last night, Ferrari said: 'Scuderia Ferrari is pleased to announce that Lewis Hamilton will join the team in 2025 on a multi-year contract.'
Hamilton added: “I have had eleven great years with this team and I am so proud of what we have achieved together.
'Mercedes has been part of my life since I was thirteen years old. It's a place where I grew up, so the decision to leave was one of the hardest decisions I've ever had to make. But for me the time has come to take this step and I am looking forward to taking on a new challenge.
Hamilton will replace Carlos Sainz at the team, who leaves four years after joining from McLaren
Sainz revealed he will leave the team at the end of the year, with an announcement about his future to be made 'in due course'
The news was confirmed on Wednesday evening in a statement that Mercedes published on the company website
Ferrari also revealed the news on social media on Wednesday, revealing Hamilton had signed a 'multi-year' deal
“I will be forever grateful for the incredible support of my Mercedes family, especially Toto for his friendship and leadership, and I want to end together on a high.” I am 100% committed to delivering the best possible performance this season and making my final year with the Silver Arrows one to remember.”
Team principal Toto Wolff added: 'In terms of the combination of team and driver, our relationship with Lewis has become the most successful the sport has ever seen, and that is something we can look back on with pride; Lewis will always be an important part of Mercedes' motorsport history. However, we knew that at some point our collaboration would naturally end, and that day has now arrived.
“We accept Lewis's decision to seek a new challenge, and our opportunities for the future are exciting to think about.” But for now we have one more season to go and we are focusing on racing to deliver a strong 2024.”
The news is undoubtedly the biggest transfer in F1 history, even eclipsing Hamilton's move from McLaren to Mercedes in 2012/2013. He will partner Charles Leclerc, the young prince from Monaco, who has just signed a deal to stay at the Scuderia until 2029 with a salary worth up to £35 million, including bonuses.
Leclerc's current partner Carlos Sainz, who will be at Ferrari next season but not beyond, faces a suddenly uncertain future. His contract negotiations stalled in December last year – and we now know why.
Hamilton won six of his seven world titles with Mercedes and had expressed his desire to end his career with the team
Hamilton said he will be 'forever grateful' for his time at Mercedes but admitted 'the time is right' to move on
Mercedes boss Toto Wolff added that he knew that 'at some point our cooperation would come to a natural end'
At Mercedes, gloom. They have the excellent George Russell, but who will they work with next year? Maybe his friend from Williams, Alex Albon. But Mercedes has a huge job to do to turn themselves back into the automatic, successful machine they once were.
Hamilton's decision is a small indication of their ability to reinvigorate themselves. He clearly doesn't believe Mercedes can conjure up a winning program in the context of his career – or at least he doubts it.
Like his 103 other record victories, he has not won a race since losing the title to Max Verstappen in that controversial race in Abu Dhabi in 2021.
Meanwhile, F1 experts have offered a more considered take on the huge news.
Martin Brundle said: “I'm so looking forward to this. We've been asking him about it for years and he seemed glued to Merc for life and was always reluctant to move. Hamilton and Leclerc in scarlet red, that's a story.'
Ferrari has long been an admirer of Hamilton and held talks with him to join the team in May last year
David Croft added: 'Lewis Hamilton to Ferrari! Always thought it would happen one day, but eventually it will happen and it seems as early as 2025.
“A seismic move, just like when Lewis joined Mercedes, and just like then I don't see the negative sides. But wow, undoubtedly the biggest transfer on transfer deadline day!'
Former driver Karun Chandhok explained that the romance of one last world title with Ferrari was too good to turn down.
'I tried to understand: 'Where is the logic in a Ferrari move?' Maybe there isn't… Lewis has more money than he could ever spend, hasn't won a race in more than two years, and maybe his heart yearned for a new challenge.
'Winning an 8th title in a Ferrari would be an incredible legacy!'