Hamilton on his way to Ferrari: all the details at a glance
F1 News
Lewis Hamilton and Ferrari. It's a combination that has been mentioned multiple times through the years, but now it really seems to be happening. GPblog showcase what the situation looks like and how it might play out.
Ferrari set their sights on Hamilton
Suddenly, the Italian media reported that Hamilton was in talks with Ferrari. John Elkann and Frederic Vasseur are reportedly already targeting Mercedes' star driver. Charles Leclerc recently signed a new deal, but it was notable that a new deal for Carlos Sainz failed to materialise. Now, it seems clear why.
Ferrari would go all out to bring in Hamilton to return to the top. With seven world titles under his belt, Hamilton is a big name that fits a brand like Ferrari. In terms of charisma, but also as a leader, he could potentially take Ferrari to the next level. As a former ART team boss, Vasseur knows what he has with the Brit.
The rumours from the Italian media were then also confirmed by Spanish media. AS were able to report that Carlos Sainz has also already been told that his contract will not be renewed. The Spaniard has plenty of alternatives but will be bitter that his contract negotiations have suddenly stopped.
How can Hamilton leave Mercedes?
Yet the rumours also raised questions because didn't Hamilton have a contract with Mercedes until 2025? Mercedes communicated that when it announced the new contracts for Hamilton and George Russell.
However, according to Italian media, Hamilton does not have a contract with Mercedes for two seasons. Hamilton has a 2024 contract with an option for another year. Hamilton could, therefore, decide to leave Mercedes himself at the end of 2024, which should make a switch to Ferrari possible.
GPblog inquired with Mercedes whether this could be clarified, but Mercedes would not comment on the news. With that, the team refuses to refute the rumours. Ferrari was also asked for a comment, but the Italian team never responds to rumours.