Vroom vroom! Ferrari is making some room, room on their Formula 1 team for seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton.
On Feb. 1, Hamilton signed a multi-year contract with Ferarri that will begin in 2025. This decision comes after racing with Mercedes for over a decade. The move to Ferrari is like a dream come true for the 39-year-old British driver.
“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,” he said on social media. “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.”
While being able to drive for Ferrari is fulfilling a childhood dream for Hamilton, the decision caught Mercedes and racing fans by surprise considering he’d signed a two-year extension contract with Mercedes just last year. Hamilton will race with Mercedes for the remainder of the season before making the move to Ferrari next year and he plans to finish strong.
“My focus is on the upcoming season and getting back out on track with Mercedes,” he said. “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.”
Hamilton has driven with Mercedes for 11 years, securing six titles from 2014-2020. He lost the 2021 championship to Max Verstappen and Red Bull and Mercedes hasn’t won a championship since. However, the F1 racer doesn’t cite Mercedes’ losing streak in the last few seasons as his reason for his departure. Rather, the driver is just ready to take on a “new challenge.”
“The time is right to make a change and take on a new challenge,” he said. “I’m excited to see what I can bring to this new opportunity and what we can do together.”
Cover photo: F1 World Champion Lewis Hamilton Is Joining Ferrari in 2024. Image: Lewis Hamilton/Instagram