Did Hamilton want to leave Mercedes?
Lewis Hamilton admits he wanted to leave Mercedes early ahead of Ferrari switch following torrid Sao Paulo GP | F1 News | Sky Sports. Hamilton signed with Ferrari in January 2024, just over six months after sealing a new contract with Mercedes. It was the talks over that new Mercedes deal that led to the Ferrari move. Mercedes wanted to offer Hamilton only a one-year contract – team boss Toto Wolff was planning for the future.Hamilton reportedly left Mercedes for Ferrari because the latter offered him a longer contract and more money. Furthermore, he had been in a losing slump—with no wins in 2022 or 2023—and hoped to revive his career on the new team.Lewis Hamilton has chosen to exercise a break clause in his Mercedes F1 contract in order to seal a shock move to Ferrari. The seven-time world champion only signed a new two-year extension to remain with Mercedes last summer, but his contract contained a break clause after one year.Hamilton reportedly left Mercedes for Ferrari because the latter offered him a longer contract and more money. Furthermore, he had been in a losing slump—with no wins in 2022 or 2023—and hoped to revive his career on the new team.His move to Ferrari, announced before the 2024 season, was shocking worldwide front-page news: he had suited up for Mercedes for more than a decade, helped build a more diverse workforce there, and hoped to someday acquire an ownership stake in the team. It seemed he would ride into the sunset with the Silver Arrows.Did Lewis Hamilton contemplate early Mercedes exit after a frustrating Brazilian Grand Prix?Seven-time Formula 1 world champion Lewis Hamilton said on Wednesday he had felt like walking away from Mercedes after a tough race in Brazil this month. Lewis Hamilton sheds new light on choice to leave Mercedes amid initial Ferrari F1 struggles. Lewis Hamilton has explained that he opted to embark upon a new chapter in Formula 1 with Ferrari as he had become “complacent” and “comfortable” at Mercedes.
Did Lewis Hamilton say goodbye to Mercedes F1 team after 12 years?
After 12 years, 246 races, 84 victories (85 if he can pull off one last miracle) and six drivers’ championships, Lewis Hamilton will leave Mercedes to join Ferrari in 2025. Yet while Hamilton started his F1 career in his early 20s, we’re reminding budding racers that it’s never too late to put the pedal to the metal as some drivers, including former world champion Damon Hill didn’t start their F1 careers until they were in their 30s.
Why did Lewis change from Mercedes to Ferrari?
Nico Rosberg finds surprise motive behind Lewis Hamilton swapping Mercedes for Ferrari: — Nico Rosberg, the 2016 World Champion and former teammate of Lewis Hamilton, revealed that Hamilton’s move from Mercedes to Ferrari was partly motivated by a desire to reduce sponsorship commitments. Toto Wolff has opened up on how he first learned that Lewis Hamilton was set to leave Mercedes to join Ferrari in 2025, with the team boss initially hearing from Carlos Sainz’s father that the move was happening.