Lewis Hamilton to leave Mercedes for Ferrari in 2025

Seven-time Formula One world champion Lewis Hamilton is set to leave Mercedes and make a move to Ferrari ahead of the 2025 season.

Despite being rumoured with a move in the past, Hamilton is set to leave the team, which brought him several championship titles, to Ferrari who is looking for their first taste of championship glory since 2008.

According to Mercedes, Hamilton has activated a release clause inside his contract which was announced last year and has allowed the seven-time world champion to move on. 

Hamilton is set to join the Scuderia, alongside five-time race winner Charles Leclerc who had recently signed a contract extension, keeping him on a long-term deal with the Prancing Horse. 

It has been reported that staff at Mercedes were summoned to a meeting, at the team’s factory, at 2pm on Wednesday where they were informed of the news. 

In the announcement, Mercedes F1 CEO and Team Principal, Toto Wolff said:

“In terms of a team-driver pairing, our relationship with Lewis has become the most successful the sport has seen, and that’s something we can look back on with pride; Lewis will always be an important part of Mercedes motorsport history. 

“However, we knew our partnership would come to a natural end at some point, and that day has now come. We accept Lewis’s decision to seek a fresh challenge, and our opportunities for the future are exciting to contemplate. 

“But for now, we still have one season to go, and we are focused on going racing to deliver a strong 2024.”

The move has come as a shock to the world of F1 as Hamilton recently completed a contract negotiation with his current team to keep him at  Mercedes until 2025, alongside George Russell. 

Hamilton’s transfer to Ferrari will end a successful partnership between himself and the Mercedes team, who both enjoyed a run of world championship titles. 

“I have had an amazing 11 years with this team and I’m so proud of what we have achieved together,” Hamilton said as he commented on the move. “Mercedes has been part of my life since I was 13 years old. It’s a place where I have grown up, so making the decision to leave was one of the hardest decisions I have ever had to make. 

“But the time is right for me to take this step and I’m excited to be taking on a new challenge. I will be forever grateful for the incredible support of my Mercedes family, especially Toto for his friendship and leadership and I want to finish on a high together. 

“I am 100% committed to delivering the best performance I can this season and making my last year with the Silver Arrows, one to remember.”

Hamilton secured six world drivers titles with the team, from 2014 to 2020 – apart from 2016. Whereas, Mercedes enjoyed constructors glory in the same timeframe, adding an eighth title to their tally in 2021. 

However, the reason seemingly comes down to the competitive nature of Ferrari who recently had a chance of championship glory in 2022. Whereas, Mercedes has had two troublesome seasons since the new regulations were introduced.

That’s all for the article; Lewis Hamilton to leave Mercedes for Ferrari for 2025!

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Kamron Kent

Hi, I’m Kamron. I created ApexMotorsports.co.uk in the dying embers of the 2021 Formula 1 world championship. It allowed me freedom to write whatever I wanted to write about which was all things motorsports, my passion.

I have put a lot of effort in over the years to keep this website in its best shape and I’ve loved seeing the brand grow consistently, month-on-month, year-on-year. My ambition is to keep watching this brand grow into a primary outlet of news for all things motorsports whilst fueling my desire to pursue a career in sports journalism, specialising in motorsports.

Kamron Kent

Hi, I'm Kamron. I created ApexMotorsports.co.uk in the dying embers of the 2021 Formula 1 world championship. It allowed me freedom to write whatever I wanted to write about which was all things motorsports, my passion. I have put a lot of effort in over the years to keep this website in its best shape and I've loved seeing the brand grow consistently, month-on-month, year-on-year. My ambition is to keep watching this brand grow into a primary outlet of news for all things motorsports whilst fueling my desire to pursue a career in sports journalism, specialising in motorsports.