Seven-time F1 champion Lewis Hamilton recently shed light on his highly anticipated move from Mercedes, his racing home for over a decade, to Ferrari in 2025. His remarks followed a triumphant victory at the British Grand Prix, his first win in almost three years, buoyed by the latest car upgrades from the Brackley outfit. This victory, however, was shadowed by his forthcoming transition to Ferrari, which he described as a leap into uncharted waters.
The British driver, who began his Formula 1 career with McLaren in 2007 and moved to Mercedes in 2013, has forged an era-defining partnership with the latter, achieving a series of victories that secured his spot as one of the sport’s greats. His new three-year deal with Ferrari promises not only a personal pay increase but also continued support for his charity initiative, Mission 44, and an ambassadorship with the iconic Italian brand. This new chapter is as lucrative as it is challenging.
Describing his emotions about switching teams, Hamilton articulated both the excitement and the nerves inherent in making such a significant change. He commented, as quoted by Planet F1:
“It’s gonna be new. It’s also daunting because it’s new territory, it’s a new experience, and will be a challenge. But, you know, I love challenge.
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“I expect it to be massively different. I mean, the two teams I’ve been with have been British teams. So I’m going into a completely different culture in Italy.
“If you think about us Brits, we’re very quiet and more calm when you have success, when you have difficult days, everyone’s kind of more chilled out whereas Italians are much more emotional.
“It’s a much different culture. I don’t truly know what to expect but I have raced in Italy, so I expect it to be a huge amount different but special and unique in some ways.
“Naturally, I think everything’s gonna feel alien because I’ve been with Mercedes for so long. So it’ll be really strange!”
Despite the upcoming departure, Hamilton is dedicated to ensuring the continued success of Mercedes until the end of his tenure. He has been deeply involved in the development of the current Mercedes F1 car and maintains a transparent relationship with the team. Refuting any notion of detachment or isolation, Hamilton stated:
“I don’t think so.
“I mean, so far, I have been really hands-on and very much involved in the development of this car. I think that’s the only way we can work this year.
“I’ve not kept anything from them and they haven’t kept anything from me. I want the team to succeed, even when I’m not here.
“I think with the success we’ve had just recently, I mean, I’m a part of that and I feel really grateful and proud to be a part of that.”
Uncommon Knowledge
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Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.