The partnership between Lewis Hamilton and Mercedes has officially come to an end. This Thursday (01), the German team announced the departure of the British driver at the end of the 2024 season.
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He will join Ferrari in 2025 on a multi-year contract, with no duration revealed. The change caused a surprise: the 39-year-old Briton had a contract with the German team until the end of 2025, but broke the contract to replace Carlos Sainz next year, which precedes a major change in engine regulations in 2026.
“I’ve had an incredible 11 years with this team and I’m so proud of what we’ve achieved together. Mercedes has been part of my life since I was 13 years old. It’s a place where I grew up, so making the decision to leave was one of the hardest I’ve already taken. But the time is right for me to take this step, and I’m excited to take on a new challenge,” said Hamilton, adding:
“I will be forever grateful for the incredible support of my Mercedes family, especially Toto (Wolff, team principal) for his friendship and leadership. I want to finish at the front door. I am 100% committed to delivering the best performance I can in this season and make my final year with the Silver Arrows one to remember.”
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Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff thanked Hamilton for the 11-year partnership and did not give details about who will replace the seven-time champion.
“In terms of a team-driver partnership, 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 our partnership would come to a natural end at a certain point, and that day has arrived. We accept Lewis’ decision to seek a new challenge, and our opportunities for the future are exciting to contemplate. For now, we still have one season ahead, and we are focused on racing to deliver a strong 2024.”
Now, Hamilton will race alongside Charles Leclerc, who recently had his contract with the Italian team extended in a multi-year agreement, with no duration revealed. Spaniard Sainz, who is now saying goodbye to Maranello after four seasons, is the last winner for Ferrari, with triumph at the 2023 Singapore GP – becoming the only driver outside of RBR to win in the last F1 season.
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