Why is Lewis Hamilton leaving Mercedes-Benz?
Lewis wanted to continue with Mercedes, it was Mercedes that let him down ultimately. He knows the end of his career is near, he wanted a year with the choice of extending it, as well as an ambassador role for the team when he retires. 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.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. For all the success Hamilton and Mercedes have achieved together, the partnership is ending on a slightly awkward note.Sources say Hamilton wanted three years, Mercedes wanted to offer him just one year. A compromise was a one-year deal with an option to extend. So when Ferrari came calling with a multi-year contract with more commitment than Mercedes delivered, that was very attractive.Replacing Carlos Sainz with Lewis Hamilton We will kick things off with the biggest move of the F1 2025 season: Lewis Hamilton to Ferrari.
Is Lewis Hamilton moving to Ferrari in 2025?
Lewis Hamilton begins the 2025 Formula 1 season with Ferrari Lewis Hamilton has a new team, a new outlook and a new hope. 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. The seven-time world champion knew he wanted to stay in F1 longer.After a long and successful partnership with Mercedes – which yielded numerous championships – Hamilton switched to Ferrari for 2025 and, at the halfway point of the season, sits in sixth place of the Drivers’ Standings, his best result so far being a P4.Hamilton admits he toiled over his decision to leave the team, but ultimately found peace in the belief that his connection with the team will outlast his on-track career. It’s what I’ve always said about Mercedes: it really, really is a family, he said.In a wide-ranging discussion with Sean Gregory, Hamilton opens up on his decision to leave Mercedes, his interests away from the sport, and his F1 legacy. Regarding his decision to leave Mercedes, Hamilton told Gregory that it was a matter of not sitting still, and tackling another series of “firsts” in his career.I already knew from the outside how passionate the Ferrari family is, from everyone in the team to the Tifosi! Hamilton said. But to now witness it firsthand as a Ferrari driver has been awe-inspiring. That passion runs through their veins, and you can’t help but be energised by it.
What has happened to Lewis Hamilton?
Lewis Hamilton apologised to Ferrari for his difficult Belgian Grand Prix weekend, saying it is not what the team deserves. Hamilton was eliminated in Q1, the opening qualifying session, ahead of both the sprint and the grand prix. Ickx explained that politics, marketing, and economics played major roles in Ferrari’s choice to bring in the seven-time world champion. Ickx pointed out that there was nothing wrong with Sainz’s performance, but Ferrari likely looked at the bigger picture and signed Hamilton instead.Behind the scenes, there was something else going on. Lewis Hamilton was convinced that the move to Mercedes would benefit his career more than sticking out at McLaren, who at that time started to struggle with their car development.
Why is Hamilton struggling with Ferrari?
Some blame Hamilton himself, saying the man is too old and has lost his touch. Others believe dysfunction inside Ferrari is the true reason for the driver’s struggles. As for Hamilton, he indicated his troubles early in the weekend were due to several tweaks or changes Ferrari made at the last minute. One theory in the paddock is that Ferrari increasing the ride height of its cars in response to Hamilton’s China disqualification, where his skid plank wore too thin and resulted in a technical breach, may be contributing to his current setup struggles — as he’d found the car easier to drive when it was slightly lower.
Why did Lewis Hamilton leave Benz?
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. Ferrari announced that they had signed Hamilton to a multi-year contract when the move was announced last February. While not specifying publicly the exact length of the term, multi-year would certainly cover both the 2025 and 2026 seasons and could even contain options for the Briton to continue beyond that.Lewis Hamilton is tied into his Ferrari contract until the end of the 2026 F1 season, but Bernie Ecclestone does not think the partnership will last that long. Former F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone does not believe Lewis Hamilton will see out the entirety of his contract with Ferrari, which runs to the end of 2026.Lewis Hamilton says he has realized his “dream” after his first official day at Ferrari, promising “a new era” for the team. The seven-time Formula One world champion shocked the sport last year when it was announced he would be joining the Italian outfit this season, after spending 12 years at Mercedes.
How much did Ferrari pay Hamilton?
Lewis Hamilton was reportedly lured to Ferrari by a deal worth a staggering $446million which stretches far beyond his Formula 1 driving duties with the Scuderia. He is a proud owner of the Ferrari LaFerrari, the limited edition Ferrari 599 SA Aperta, worth $2. LaFerrari Aperta, worth $2. Hamilton’s most expensive car is the 1966 classic Shelby Cobra, estimated to be worth over $5 million.