KUALA LUMPUR – The swirling speculations of the past 24 hours have been confirmed – Lewis Hamilton is officially parting ways with Mercedes after the 2024 season.
Despite previously expressing reservations about racing in Formula 1 beyond the age of 40, Hamilton, who turns 40 in January next year, had a change of heart in August last year.
He inked a new two-year deal with Mercedes for 2024 and 2025, driven by his pursuit of “unfinished business” and the desire to clinch additional world championships, solidifying his commitment to the Silver Arrows until the end of his racing career.
However, in a surprising twist, Mercedes released an early morning statement confirming Hamilton’s activation of a release option, signalling that the ongoing season will indeed be his last with the Silver Arrows.
Reflecting on his “amazing” 11-year journey with Mercedes, Hamilton expressed gratitude for the incredible support he received throughout his formative years, describing the decision to leave as “one of the toughest” he has ever made.
“Mercedes has been part of my life since I was 13 years old. It’s a place where I have grown up.
“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,” he said.
Hamilton’s impending move to the Italian team stands as one of the most significant driver transfers in F1 history.
Having joined Mercedes from McLaren in 2013, he secured six of his seven championships and an impressive 82 of his record 103 victories with the team.
The news brings closure to a 17-year relationship with Mercedes-Benz and an 11-year partnership with the works team.
Toto Wolff, team principal and CEO, acknowledged the unprecedented success of the team-driver pairing and expressed pride in Hamilton’s role in Mercedes motorsport history.
“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,” said Wolff.
Responding to the announcement, Ferrari declared, “Scuderia Ferrari is pleased to announce that Lewis Hamilton will be joining the team in 2025 on a multi-year contract.”
Hamilton is poised to team up with Charles Leclerc in 2025, marking the end of Carlos Sainz’s tenure as the Prancing Horse driver. – February 2, 2024