Express Sport keeps you up to date on the latest F1 news following Lewis Hamilton’s switch to Ferrari.
Lewis Hamilton dropped a bombshell on the F1 landscape this week by agreeing to join Ferrari from Mercedes in 2025. The seven-time world champion had been in situ since 2013 and previously claimed that he would finish his career with the Silver Arrows.
The move is set to spark a wave of activity, with Ferrari star Carlos Sainz in need of a new seat beyond the end of the forthcoming season. Mercedes, meanwhile, will have to find a new partner for George Russell capable of driving the team forward and competing for wins.
Fans’ mouths are already watering at the prospect of Hamilton teaming up with the talented Charles Leclerc in the final years of his career, as the Brit chases down Max Verstappen and a record-breaking eighth Drivers’ Championship.
Charles Leclerc footage resurfaces
Links between Lewis Hamilton and Ferrari sprung up for several weeks last season before the Brit committed his future to Mercedes – or so F1 fans thought.
At the height of the speculation, Charles Leclerc was asked what he ‘looks for’ in an ideal team-mate.
Looking back now, with Hamilton set to join him at Ferrari from the 2025 season onwards, Leclerc’s answer perhaps suggests he knew something was in the works.
After a pause and a nervous laugh, the Monegasque turned to Hamilton, who was sat across from him in the press conference, and said: “Hello Lewis!”
Brundle: Hamilton can make ‘Schumacher-esque’ impact
F1 legend Martin Brundle has urged fans to ‘never write off’ Lewis Hamilton ahead of his 2025 switch to Ferrari.
Brundle also suggested the Brit could make an impact like that of Michael Schumacher by ending the Prancing Horse’s barren run and leading them to titles.
“Never write off Lewis Hamilton,” Brundle wrote for Sky Sports. “He knows how to win races and championships.
“It’ll be very Schumacher-esque if he can go there and really drive the team to start winning a lot more races and be championship contenders.”
George Russell comments backfire
Speculation linking Lewis Hamilton to Ferrari is nothing new.
In fact, it was rife last season, which led to George Russell being grilled on the subject by Channel 4 host Steve Jones.
“What do you think about Lewis going to Ferrari?” he asked jokingly.
Russell delivered an emphatic response, saying: “That won’t happen. You read it in The Daily Mail, was it? I don’t know what would happen before that, but… who knows.”
The Mercedes man’s confidence has since come back to bite him, with Russell set to be racing alongside a new team-mate in 2025.
Lewis Hamilton ‘blindsided’ Toto Wolff.
Lewis Hamilton’s decision to ditch Mercedes for Ferrari in 2025 reportedly came as a ‘complete shock’ to Toto Wolff.
According to The Telegraph, the F1 star only informed Wolff of his decision at a pre-arranged meeting at the team principal’s Oxfordshire home on Wednesday morning – the day before the news went public.
Mercedes were consequently left scrambling to organise a team meeting later that afternoon and inform staff that Hamilton would be moving on.
And they will now set about the daunting task of replacing the Brit in time for the 2025 season.
