Lewis Hamilton shocks the sporting world with move from Mercedes to Ferrari
With just 20 spots up for grabs on the Formula 1 grid every season, any chopping and changing within the driver lineups of teams is big news.
However, when the joint-most successful driver of all time switches between two of the biggest teams in the sport, blindsiding the majority of the Formula 1 community, then a seismic sporting event has taken place.
Sir Lewis Hamilton, the 7-time World Drivers Championship winner, has long been synonymous with Mercedes, with 6 of his 7 triumphs coming as part of their winning machine over the past 15 years or so.
Now aged 39, many were forgiven for thinking that Hamilton was ready to wind down in his career, with retirement mooted for the great Brit at the end of his contract in 2024.
However, the fire clearly continues to burn within for Hamilton, and he has announced his intention to join Ferrari from the start of the 2025 Formula 1 World Championship, in a move that has made waves across the sporting world.
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Only the great Michael Schumacher can match Lewis Hamilton in terms of world title wins, with 7 triumphs standing the two legends of the sport alone at the top of the all-time leaderboard.
Winning his first title for McLaren back in 2008, Hamilton has been a household name within Formula 1 for the best part of two decades and that profile has arguably only enhanced even more, with the Ferrari move on the horizon.
An innate racer, Hamilton has enjoyed great rivalries with the likes of Jenson Button, Sebastian Vettel, Fernando Alonso, Nico Rosberg and currently, Max Verstappen, with Hamilton often coming out on top in key moments.
His place within the great pantheon of Formula 1 drivers is certainly secure and who can blame him for wanting to further his career with Ferrari, arguably the most iconic team within the sport for F1 and the collaboration looks to have a very exciting future.
Hold your horses
As the dust settles on the news that Lewis Hamilton is set to make the switch to Ferrari, one of the curious elements of the move is that it will not happen until the 2025 Formula 1 season.
Meaning, that Hamilton will continue to drive for Mercedes in 2024, as both he and his team mate George Russell, look to close the gap on the Red Bull dominance of recent seasons.
Having won the F1 World Championship in each of the last three years, Dutchman Max Verstappen has established himself firmly within the list of all-time greats and he and Red Bull have forged a seriously strong winning machine.
Whilst the Red Bull juggernauts will be firm favourites in another huge season of F1 action in 2024, the narrative is also fascinating at Ferrari, with current drivers Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz fully aware that Hamilton is on the way next season.
It is expected that Leclerc will partner Hamilton at Ferrari from 2025, in what could turn out to be a formidable partnership, but for him and Sainz, the 2024 campaign looks to be one of transition and relative uncertainty.
Can Hamilton bring glory back to Ferrari?
A driver with the know-how and experience of Lewis Hamilton always courts plenty of attention and his decision to move from Mercedes to Ferrari has had plenty of tongues wagging.
Cynics have pointed to the fact that Hamilton has moved because he can’t see any progress within the current Mercedes design team and that a move to Ferrari, gives him a better chance of challenging Red Bull and Max Verstappen.
Whilst the F1 romantics have pointed to the lure of Ferrari and how driving for the great Italian behemoths is one of the greatest privileges any Formula 1 driver can experience.
Regardless of his rationale, Lewis Hamilton has been brought into Ferrari to propel the team back up the Formula 1 leaderboard and bring back some glory to the team.
Kimi Raikkonen was the last Ferrari driver to win the F1 World Championship back in 2007, whilst Ferrari have only won 2 Grand Prix’s in the last two years and have struggled for consistency and form.
Having Lewis Hamilton in their ranks brings an extra sense of gravitas and with plenty of scrutiny set to be on both Hamilton and Ferrari, the whole world waits to see how their partnership will pan out.
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Author: ChampionsTravel
2024-02-06
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