How does Lewis Hamilton’s departure from Mercedes impact the Formula 1 sport?

After being with Mercedes for more than a decade, Formula One icon, Lewis Hamilton, says he has decided to jump ship to Ferrari. Hamilton will depart Mercedes and join rivals Ferrari in 2025 when the current season ends.

What will this big move mean for Formula 1?

The Facts

The 39-year-old, who signed a contract extension with Mercedes last summer, until the end of the 2025 season, activated a release option in the contract.

Hamilton explained that although it was a difficult decision, his choice was an attempt to take on a new challenge after being with the team for 11 years.

“I have had an amazing 11 years with this team and I’m so proud of what we have achieved together. 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,” he said in a statement.

Lewis Hamilton joined Mercedes in 2013. He spent 12 seasons with the Brackley team and has since won 82 races and six titles between 2014 to 2020.

Ferrari confirmed Hamilton will be joining the team on X (formerly Twitter).

“Scuderia Ferrari is pleased to announce that Lewis Hamilton will be joining the team in 2025, on a multi-year contract,” the post on X read.

The Arguments

Hamilton’s most recent victory came in the 2021 season’s penultimate race. This was as a result of Mercedes’s difficulties in making their new vehicle competitive with Red Bull.

A report by RacingNews stated that might be the major reason behind Hamilton’s departure from Mercedes.

As to the report, Hamilton’s choice was greatly impacted by Loic Serra’s exit from Mercedes. Prior to joining Ferrari for the 2025 season, Serra was Head of Vehicle Performance at Mercedes.

Mike Elliott’s technical staff at Mercedes and Serra were said to have disagreed over the direction of the W13 and W14 projects, which had noticeably longer wheelbases and floors. It appears that Serra and Hamilton had concerns about the 2022-spec car, which was built in accordance with updated technological specifications.

Hamilton mentioned in an interview in 2023 that “Last year, I told them the issues that are with the car. I’ve driven so many cars in my life, so I know what a car needs, I know what a car doesn’t need.
“And I think it’s really about accountability, it’s about owning up and saying ‘yeah, you know what, we didn’t listen to you, it’s not where it needs to be and we’ve got to work’.”

Formula 1 enthusiasts were shocked when the seven-time Formula One champion Lewis Hamilton declared he would be joining Ferrari in 2025 on a “multi-year contract” after the 2024 season with Mercedes.

Fans are divided on the matter; some believe Hamilton, the 7-time winner of the fast-car championship, will continue to deliver and win, while others wonder if his transfer to Ferrari would ruin his career.

The speculations are derived from renowned drivers who transferred to Ferrari but could not flourish. Spanish racing driver Fernando Alonso Díaz and German racing driver, Sebastian Vettel, went to Ferrari to win the World Championship and failed.

Lewis Hamilton will go to Ferrari in 2025 but many wonder whether or not he can win his eighth World Championship.

However, the transfers of high-profile drivers between elite teams can have a big effect on Formula 1.

Such transfers often generate excitement and speculation among fans, influencing team dynamics and rivalries.

The shift might have an impact on the competition scene and introduce fresh narratives to the sport.