Lewis Hamilton moves to Ferrari: Is this the final chapter?
Photo courtesy of Morio via Wikimedia Commons
The Formula 1 community was rocked last Wednesday when news emerged that Lewis Hamilton would be leaving Mercedes to join Ferrari. The 7-time world champion had only recently stated his intention to be with Mercedes for 2024 and 2025 and news of this seismic move has left many wondering what has changed. So, why has this long rumoured and awaited move happened now?
A long-term rivalry becomes a partnership
Since his sensational debut in 2007, Lewis Hamilton has always been a formidable foe for the Tifosi. After narrowly losing out on the title to Kimi Raikkonen by one point, he went on to win the first of his 7 world titles in 2008, beating Felipe Massa by a singular point. He was then involved in another title fight with Ferrari driver Fernando Alonso in 2010, when the title race went down to the year’s final round in Abu Dhabi. Since his first race for McLaren, he has always been racing with the best the Scuderia has to offer.
This rivalry was then reignited again in 2017. Following the departure of his former friend and teammate Nico Rosberg at the end of 2016, a new regulation change for the 2017 season allowed the Maranello based squad - headed by Sebastian Vettel - to lead a title charge. A season-long battle would last until the Mexico Grand Prix where Hamilton would secure a fourth world title, equalling Vettel’s tally at the time. In 2018, a repeat would occur, ending in the same result with Hamilton going on to break the record for most points scored by a single driver.
Now, the scenery has changed. In face of the relentless performance of Max Verstappen, breaking nigh on every record the sport has to offer, every team is looking for a way to break what is currently an unstoppable Red Bull tide. With Frédéric Vasseur as Ferrari team principal, Lewis now has the familiarity he needs to make the move to Ferrari. Vasseur has led Hamilton to success in the past, having led the ART team with which Hamilton won his rookie 2006 GP2 title.
Why now?
Statistically, Lewis Hamilton is the greatest Formula One driver of all time. He managed to equal Michael Schumacher’s record of 7 world titles at the Turkish Grand Prix in 2020, cementing his legacy as one of the best the sport has ever seen, no matter who your personal favourite driver might be. But it has not been smooth sailing since 2020. A controversial stewarding decision at the 2021 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix left many wondering whether Lewis was denied a record-breaking 8th world title. And ever since that night, Mercedes’ fortunes have progressively worsened.
2023 saw a second disappointing season in a row for Hamilton with Mercedes. In fact, it was only the second season of his career where he failed to win a single race, in face of the dominance shown by Red Bull and Max Verstappen. But despite this, interestingly, Hamilton still signed a new deal for the 2024 and 2025 seasons with Mercedes, even stating that Mercedes’ abilities were “beyond proof”.
Yet, the proof is in the details. The deal that Hamilton signed was not a fixed two-year deal which had been the expected outcome. Whilst the news of Mercedes partner George Russell signing a similar deal was announced at the same time, the nature of the agreements appear to be wildly different. Most importantly, an escape clause had been added to Hamilton’s contract, allowing him to leave the team at the end of the 2024 season. It is unclear whether Hamilton is unhappy with the performance of the W15 model or if he believes that Ferrari would be able to offer him a better chance of winning that elusive 8th world championship.
The Terms of the New Deal
The Scuderia have reportedly offered a deal worth $446 million for the services of Hamilton. This is broken down into a pay packet of $87 million for 2025, with options to extend beyond that into 2026. Additionally, Ferrari have succeeded where Mercedes failed in their negotiations, agreeing to provide financial support for Mission 44 - Hamilton’s charity which aims to support young individuals from working class backgrounds to enter careers in STEM, motorsport and the creative industry.
And on top of all that, Hamilton was also offered the role of ambassador for Ferrari. A similar request for his Mercedes contract renewal in 2023 was rejected by the board. Had it come to fruition, Hamilton would have served as an ambassador for Mercedes until 2035. Instead, the offer from John Elkann, owner of Ferrari’s parent company Exor Group, will ensure both Hamilton’s current and post-retirement career are invested in Ferrari.
The Future
Lewis Hamilton now becomes the latest name to join the list of greats who also made the move to Ferrari. Whilst these moves have had variable success in the past, Lewis Hamilton has the opportunity to end his career the way he wishes to.
With Charles Leclerc as his teammate, he will not have an easy time of it. Sebastian Vettel can attest to that statement, having lost to the young Monagasque twice in his time driving for the Scarlet Red team. Yet the intrigue that this fierce but respecting driver line up has to offer will surely usher in another exhilarating chapter in the lasting legacy of Scuderia Ferrari.
Photo courtesy of fuji.tim via Wikimedia Commons