A Bold Move To Join Ferrari In 2025 By Lewis Hamilton
It’s time for me to start a new chapter of my life ～Lewis Hamilton
The news of Lewis Leaving Mercedes and joining Ferrari sparked last year in 2023 during the Monaco GP, I wrote an entire article on that, and I suggest you check it out to know, what circumstances led Lewis to think about joining Ferrari at that time and what stopped him doing that.
However, moving on, now it is formally announced by the 7-Time World Champion to take another leap of faith and start a new chapter of his life by joining Ferrari in 2025.
This is the biggest historic switch of a driver in F1 history, after Michael Schumacher, and Lewis’s second biggest switch since, 2012 from McLaren to Mercedes and from Mercedes to Ferrari in 2025.
Controversies
Let's dig into some of the news that is circling social media to see what influenced Lewis to take this big step at the most critical point of his career because as we all know, Ferrari’s capability of damaging drivers' reputations & confidence after signing them in, as we have most recent examples of Sebastian Vettel & Fernando Alonzo, in front of us, who faced so many difficulties in their careers after joining Ferrari.
However, it’s a first time for everything, who knows maybe Lewis's decision might turn out well for him, as it did in 2012 and he could build another legacy like Michael Shumacher
So, let's not get carried away!!😁, because as the wise turtle said “The future is a mystery and the Present is a gift”, so let's focus on it, and let's try to understand what's happening in the present.
So, it all began in the 2023 Monaco GP when John Elkaan (President of Ferrari) informally called Lewis and said “Lewis come to Ferrari, we want you here” and that they could offer him the world. “Lewis said no”. while the discussions for the new contract between Lewis & Mercedes were happening.
So, at the time, the main reasons for the delay in Lewis's contract were ambiguous and at many points in the season when F1 pundits asked this question to Toto or Lewis they always said “We are working on it”.
Now the reason behind the delay & the switch to Ferrari came out as:
Lewis wanted a 3 year contract extension with Mercedes and an ambassador role, Mercedes only gave him 1 year with 1 year of extension only along with the exit clause and no ambassador role.
That behavior/attitude seems a bit harsh from the Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 team towards a 7-Time World Champion and I guess he must have felt that too and decided to move on as the Ferrari Team was willing to give him the world.
So, they did and they offered him a 3-year contract and an ambassador role, not only that they offered him to continue his diversity program “Mission 44” with the joint funding from Ferrari.
So, this is how the historic change happened and I don't know about you guys but I think it's the right call from Lewis to pull the triggers and get what he wants, after achieving so much in his career, he deserved the status of being treated uniquely and respectfully and this opportunity will provide him all of that.
Reactions, Feelings, Ambitions & Challenges
Parting ways with an organization that is like a family to you is hard; joining a new organization, meeting new people & working with them is a gigantic challenge, which Lewis is ready to take on in 2025.
Therefore, he described his feelings like this;
It’s been a crazy few days which have been filled with a whole range of emotions. But as you all now know, after an incredible 11 years at Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team, the time has come for me to start a new chapter in my life and I will be joining Scuderia Ferrari in 2025.
I feel incredibly fortunate, after achieving things with Mercedes that I could only have dreamed of as a kid, that I now have the chance to fulfill another childhood dream. Driving in Ferrari red.
Mercedes has been a huge part of my life since I was 13 years old, so this decision has been the hardest I’ve ever had to make. I’m incredibly proud of all that we’ve achieved together and I’m very grateful for the hard work and dedication of everyone I have worked with over the years and of course Toto, for his friendship, guidance and leadership. Together we have won titles, broken records and become the most successful Driver-Team partnership in F1 history.
And of course, I cannot forget Niki who was a huge supporter and who I still miss every day. I must also share my huge appreciation to the whole of the Mercedes-Benz board and everyone at the company in Germany and around the world for supporting me over these 26 years.
But the time is right to make a change and take on a new challenge. I still remember the feeling of taking a leap of faith into the unknown when I first joined Mercedes in 2013.
I know some people didn’t understand it at the time but I was right to make the move then and it’s the feeling I have again now. I’m excited to see what I can bring to this new opportunity and what we can do together.
However, right now, I’m not thinking about 2025. My focus is on the upcoming season and getting back out on track with Mercedes. I am more driven than ever, I am fitter and more focussed than ever and I want to help Mercedes win once again. I am 100% committed to the job I need to do and determined to end my partnership with the team on a high.
Thank you to all of you who have been on this journey with me, you have all lifted me up as I chase my dreams and I hope I can continue to make you proud. As always, I am sending you my love and positive energy.
This mega news somehow strutted everyone including the fans, F1 pundits, other F1 teams, and the Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 team themselves.
When the news of Lewis joining Ferrari was told to his Engineer “Peter Bonnington ～ Bono”, by Toto Wolff he said, “Is This April The 1st”.
However, the only person who knew that this was inevitable and it could happen at any time was “Toto Wolff”. he said in an interview that;
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 events are not a surprise, maybe timing is”
After closing a contract with Lewis last year, he said to me that he wants to drive a Ferrari & we had an hour-long chat about it.
“But this is the first time in 10-years he made a decision without brainstorming with me.”
However, in last 10-year we achieved so much together and when we look at them in future we will enjoy.
On the other, his team-mate also sent his regards on Lewis's new endeavor
Lewis Hamilton is a well-renowned global superstar who achieved so much in his career that most F1 drivers can only dream of and now with a new endeavor in mind, he set his goals to expand his mission 44 that help underprivileged kids and to build a new legacy with the most controversial team Scuderia Ferrari alongside with his friend & mentor Fred Vasseur, who was with him in the early stages of his career in F1.
However, with the departure of Lewis in 2025, a lot of changes will happen not only in driver-line up but in the engineering side as well because most of the rumors are arising that Bono (Lewis’s engineer) & Andrew Shovlin (trackside engineer) might depart from the team and join Ferrari in the future, as Ex-Mercedes Performance Director Loic Serra will join Ferrari later this year.
So, the phase from 2025 to 2026 will be critical for Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 to limit the brain drain from the team or to hire someone new who is capable enough to fill the shoes of those legendary engineers.
Apart from that, the Australian Grand Prix management was so excited to see Lewis driving a Scarlet Ferrari that they already shared a poster in celebration of his debut in Ferrari in 2025
Final Thoughts
No matter how much you like or dislike the Ferrari, now you have to like them because of Lewis Hamilton!!😁
However, on a serious note, whatever happens next in this season & the next one will be exciting and amazing, as Lewis is at the peak of his career and Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 somehow understood their car and is ready to hit the ground running and both (Lewis & Team) want to end the season on a high note.
So, after switching, we will be able to see the fight between two gigantic constructors in the 2025 season & onwards, with all their might.
So, guys get ready to witness the historic moments of F1 history in upcoming seasons.
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