Lewis Hamilton to leave Mercedes and join Ferrari for 2025 [UPDATE: news confirmed]

[///M Power-Belgium]

Originally Posted by SYT_Shadow

I'm no huge F1 fan, but I think it's an odd move.

Hamilton is used to being a princess at Mercedes.
Leclerc is Ferrari's princess.
Hamilton is no longer in a position to demand princess treatment.

Is he willing to go to Ferrari to be a second driver? Does he expect Leclerc to be his second driver instead? Does he think he's still in his prime and can demand primary driver status?

In other words : Ferrari in 2025 ?

"War horses and dog fights" !

As we know : Charlie is unbeatable at Ferrari .
And LEW's end is near at Ferrari !



​

[dradernh]

This is a no-brainer for Hamilton, as it's about the car, not the driver. Nothing new there.

[G30M]

Originally Posted by SYT_Shadow

I'm no huge F1 fan, but I think it's an odd move.

Hamilton is used to being a princess at Mercedes.
Leclerc is Ferrari's princess.
Hamilton is no longer in a position to demand princess treatment.

Is he willing to go to Ferrari to be a second driver? Does he expect Leclerc to be his second driver instead? Does he think he's still in his prime and can demand primary driver status?

nope.
retirement brand i mean fund

[Killed by Death]

Should be a win win for hammy and Ferrari. There can't be that many fans loyal to the MB brand. There is gonna be a massive increase to the Ferrari fan base.

[M3WC]

Originally Posted by Killed by Death

Should be a win win for hammy and Ferrari. There can't be that many fans loyal to the MB brand. There is gonna be a massive increase to the Ferrari fan base.

I'd figure a large majority of Hammy fans are newbie netflix fans. I could see them not having loyalty to any team. OG F1 fans seem to more fans of teams vs drivers.

[M5Rick]

Makes no difference how many fans make a switch from Merc next year, if any. HAM is toast this year and next.

[atopa2002]

Originally Posted by M5Rick

Makes no difference how many fans make a switch from Merc next year, if any. HAM is toast this year and next.

Then the 8th in 2026.
That's what they said when he moved to Merc 11 or so years ago.
He knows something you and i have no clue about.

[atopa2002]

Originally Posted by cooolone2

I don't think this will end well for LH... Team doesn't make the man! It will allow him to fade into retirement with a Golden Crest on his chest, but with nothing more.

Maybe they're bringing him along to help CL improve his driving enough to get over the hump and actually challenge Red Bull, but I doubt that too. LH would've done better to just stick it out and retire where he is. But it's not his nature, maybe sure he sees something all of us on the sideline can't see and is making a smart move, who knows. But there is something to be said about loyalty.

I believe too the driver makes the car, constructors can only take it so far, but the driver takes it further! Evident in MV aggressiveness and wins lately. It's definitely not about $, but massaging egos too, and we know LH has one that doesn't fit in his helmet or cars... Good luck to him, 24' is certainly going to be interesting now for sure. Will he give the Arrows one last hoorah on his way out the door, or if it's a tight race will he back off and allow Team Ferrari to squeak by! Hmmmmm... I find these advance contract issues to be problematic, a conflict of interest with little doubt it introduces issues. Why fight too hard in a corner, why take risks, why worry about strategy, just let the wind flow!

In any event, now there's plenty to talk about in the off-season, and during the entire coming 24' race circuit as well. Lol, maybe that's all its about, Ferrari needs to be talked about more than others, regardless of how well they do! You know those Italians, can't help but talk with their hands moving, needing extra attention! Hahahaha

It's all good, sit back and enjoy the show!

What will he acheive by staying at Merc? Nothing , that car whatever 15 is not beating the RB in 2024 and 2025 and I heard Toto was not renewing his contract past 2025.
Remember merc is not starting off fresh where others have had 2 years of dev already

He is goving then a whole year for merc to find this replacement instead of pulling a Nico

[M5Rick]

Originally Posted by atopa2002

Then the 8th in 2026.
That's what they said when he moved to Merc 11 or so years ago.
He knows something you and i have no clue about.

Wishful thinking, RB are a year and a half ahead with the '25 car already being planned and built, meaning an early start on the heavy '26 one

[HeelToeShift]

Originally Posted by atopa2002

Then the 8th in 2026.
That's what they said when he moved to Merc 11 or so years ago.
He knows something you and i have no clue about.

Regulations now mean no one can have an 80-100 hp advantage which was 95% of the reason MB was any good. Any average driver could and did win in that car.
The other thing is that Ham is not in his 20s anymore but will be into his 40s at that time. It doesn't matter how fit you are, a 40+ year old will never have the same agility and reaction time as a 20-30 year old. We see it in most sports where the reaction times don't need to be nearly as good.
Beyond that, having to adapt to a new car, and a team that speaks italian are both uphill factors.

[gatorfast]

Lewis just wants to fulfill a lifelong dream of driving for the legendary Ferrari team. I’m sure he thinks he can compete for a championship at Ferrari because all top athletes never count themselves out, but he knows he is at the tail end of his career and if he doesn’t scratch this itch now he never will. It’s a fun shake up for F1 and I can’t wait to see him in red.

[Autobacs]

Originally Posted by dfox

This, imo.

Just like Charles says, it's a huge honor to be at Ferrari. The heritage and all, just spectacular to be known as a F1 Ferrari driver. Seemed like Carlos took it for granted, they probably didn't like that he was already talking about jumping ship to Audi so they wanted to find a way to give him the boot.

Carlos thoroughly appreciates Ferrari. What he did not appreciate is Ferrari trying to make him Barrichello part 2, which I applaud him for doing. Better to have self-respect than no respect.

[Autobacs]

Originally Posted by SYT_Shadow

I'm no huge F1 fan, but I think it's an odd move.

Hamilton is used to being a princess at Mercedes.
Leclerc is Ferrari's princess.
Hamilton is no longer in a position to demand princess treatment.

Is he willing to go to Ferrari to be a second driver? Does he expect Leclerc to be his second driver instead? Does he think he's still in his prime and can demand primary driver status?

Le Clerc, if any, is the one who is going to be the 2nd driver. Ferrari did not plan on throwing LH that much money(much more than LeClerc) to expect him to perform as a second driver, LOL.

[Autobacs]

I see a match made in Hell. If you thought LH was a whiner at MB, you ain't seen nothing yet when Ferrari starts doing the Ferrari way when it comes race strategy LOL

[M5Rick]

Wolff is seemingly putting on a picture face of happiness in that LEW is leaving after 12 months but with other top tier employees due to follow him into 'money bags' Ferrari, Wolff's predicament with lack of top tech people, and the hunt to replace them with such like is serious.

[///M Power-Belgium]

Originally Posted by Autobacs

Le Clerc, if any, is the one who is going to be the 2nd driver. Ferrari did not plan on throwing LH that much money(much more than LeClerc) to expect him to perform as a second driver, LOL.

In one word : "NEVER"

LEW will be what SEB was at Ferrari ...

[Killed by Death]

[M5Rick]

Originally Posted by Killed by Death

Fred is another Arrivebene, just told what to do by 'them' in the dark corridors of Maranello.

[Autobacs]

Originally Posted by ///M Power-Belgium

In one word : "NEVER"

LEW will be what SEB was at Ferrari ...

SEB was already washed up when he went to Ferrari, having been been beaten by Ricciardo.

Lew was the 3rd (or 2nd) best driver in 2023, depending on who you want to believe. I don't see him beaten by can't stand the pressure LeClerc. BUT, we shall see. In any case, I don't see Ferrari winning the championship with either of the two.

[///M Power-Belgium]

Originally Posted by Autobacs

SEB was already washed up when he went to Ferrari, having been been beaten by Ricciardo.

Lew was the 3rd (or 2nd) best driver in 2023, depending on who you want to believe. I don't see him beaten by can't stand the pressure LeClerc. BUT, we shall see. In any case, I don't see Ferrari winning the championship with either of the two.

1- Sure , LEW was the 2nd best driver in 2023 . Because Charlie was screwed the whole season long by the FKN Italian clown strategy.
AKA #FerrariThings (as usual)!

2- Can't stand the pressure LeClerc ?
Well , LEW lost his 2021 WDC by his own (stupid)! Brake Magic at Azerbaijan (Baku)
Wolff said after the race that LEW had "somehow triggered" the Brake Magic Button, and was unaware until he hit the brakes .
Sounds great for a 7-time WDC !

LEW's front brakes were smoking like a 'Volcano , but he was unaware ?!?!
Charlie would never make such a (stupid)! beginners mistake ...

[M5Rick]

Originally Posted by ///M Power-Belgium

1- Sure , LEW was the 2nd best driver in 2023 . Because Charlie was screwed the whole season long by the FKN Italian clown strategy.
AKA #FerrariThings (as usual)!

2- Can't stand the pressure LeClerc ?
Well , LEW lost his 2021 WDC by his own (stupid)! Brake Magic at Azerbaijan (Baku)
Wolff said after the race that LEW had "somehow triggered" the Brake Magic Button, and was unaware until he hit the brakes .
Sounds great for a 7-time WDC !

LEW's front brakes were smoking like a 'Volcano , but he was unaware ?!?!
Charlie would never make such a (stupid)! beginners mistake ...

LEW had the switch moved after to where he could not forget about it or hit it by error

[Autobacs]

Originally Posted by ///M Power-Belgium

1- Sure , LEW was the 2nd best driver in 2023 . Because Charlie was screwed the whole season long by the FKN Italian clown strategy.
AKA #FerrariThings (as usual)!

2- Can't stand the pressure LeClerc ?
Well , LEW lost his 2021 WDC by his own (stupid)! Brake Magic at Azerbaijan (Baku)
Wolff said after the race that LEW had "somehow triggered" the Brake Magic Button, and was unaware until he hit the brakes .
Sounds great for a 7-time WDC !

LEW's front brakes were smoking like a 'Volcano , but he was unaware ?!?!
Charlie would never make such a (stupid)! beginners mistake ...

LeClerc spinning off by himself in Italy and France is all I have to say. I'm happy to wager a bet with you if you like on who has more points at the end of 2025 between the two. I'm no fan of either driver just to make it clear and I don't care either way if I win or lose but I'll pick LH over LC.