On February 2, Beijing time, the Ferrari F1 team officially announced that F1 legend Lewis Hamilton will join the team in the 2025 season and continue to attack the goal of eight F1 crowns.
The Mercedes team's official social media announced in the early hours of the 2nd: "The Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team and Lewis Hamilton will part ways after the 2024 season." Lewis activated the release option in the contract announced last year. Mercedes also said that the announcement also ended Hamilton's 11-year relationship with Mercedes in F1.
Hamilton won his first World Championship with McLaren in 2008 before moving to Mercedes in 2013 and winning two titles in 2014 and 2015, before winning four in a row between 2017 and 2020, bringing his total to seven World Titles.
As F1 enters the era of ground effects in 2022, Mercedes has had major problems in the direction of car development, and the power unit is no longer the advantage of the past, Hamilton has struggled to find a win since the 2021 Saudi Grand Prix, and the longest title drought of his career so far. Hamilton, who turns 40 next year, has made the second big choice of his career.
Hamilton himself said: "I've had an amazing 11 years with this team and I'm very proud of what we've achieved together. Mercedes has been a part of my life since I was 13 years old. It's where I grew up, so the decision to leave was one of the toughest I've ever made. But now is the time for me to take this step, and I'm excited to take on a new challenge. I will always be grateful for the incredible support that my Mercedes family has given me, especially Toto's friendship and leadership, and I hope to be able to achieve victory together." I'm 100 per cent committed to playing my best this season and making my final year at the Silver Arrows one to remember. ”
On December 8, 2023 local time, in Baku, Azerbaijan, at the 2023 FIA Awards Ceremony, Hamilton received the F1 annual third-place trophy According to IC photo
Scuderia Ferrari then announced: "Scuderia Ferrari is delighted to announce that Lewis Hamilton will join the team in 2025 on a multi-year contract. ”
Since driver Leclerc has already renewed his contract with Ferrari, and it has been revealed that the contract extension is for two years, with a two-year extension option, it is clear that Hamilton's arrival will affect the position of another driver, Sainz, at Ferrari.
Immediately, Scuderia Ferrari's driver Sainz also issued a statement: "In light of today's news, I and Scuderia Ferrari will part ways at the end of the 2024 season. There is still a long season ahead of us, as in the past. I'm going to give everything I can for the team and for Ferrari fans around the world. Relevant news about my future will be announced in due course. ”
Red Star News reporter Pei Han Zhou Yao
Edited by Cheng Li
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