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Laurence Edmondson and Nate Saunders discuss the news that Lewis Hamilton is set to join Ferrari in 2025. (1:02)
Lewis Hamilton is close to completing a sensational switch from Mercedes to Ferrari in 2025, multiple sources told ESPN.
Hamilton, a seven-time world champion and F1’s all-time greatest driver, signed what would be a two-year contract extension with Mercedes last year, but now it looks like the second year could have happened. option.
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Mercedes and Ferrari both declined to comment to ESPN.
While it has not been officially confirmed, the deal is virtually done, sources told ESPN, and the move allows Hamilton to upgrade Spanish driver Carlos Sainz.
Ferrari, which has competed in each and every F1 season and is said to have the most appeal, has not earned a driver name since Kimi Raikkonen in 2007.
Hamilton, tied with Ferrari legend Michael Schumacher with seven titles, now has a chance to end the Ferrari drought and move clear as F1’s most decorated champion in the process.
If he does, he would be the first driver to win championships with three teams since Juan Manuel Fangio in 1957.
Hamilton, 39, has been connected with Ferrari, the sport’s most successful team, throughout his career, but seemed set to end his career at Mercedes.
Last season, before signing his extension at Mercedes, Hamilton scoffed at hints of a move to the Italian team, but it appears negotiations have accelerated in recent months.
One source told ESPN that Ferrari chairman John Elkann is determined to land a big-name signing for Ferrari.
Elkann has been known to be a Hamilton admirer for some time.
Ferrari had at least one world champion driver in the team from 1996, when Schumacher arrived, until 2020, when Sebastian Vettel left at the end of the year. In 2021, Sainz teamed up with Charles Leclerc, who recently signed a lengthy extension that ended up tying him to Ferrari beyond 2026.
Ferrari team boss Frederic Vasseur worked with Hamilton in his junior career, helping guide the British driver to a title in GP2 (now Formula 2) with the ART team in 2006, and has also likely played a key role in the negotiations.
Ferrari has been stalling on a similar extension for Sainz, who now appears to be set to be a major cog in driver market developments going forward.
Sainz had been widely regarded as a candidate for Audi’s next F1 assignment in 2026, but now looks set to retire a year early.
Sainz, a former Red Bull product, could now be an open-air bid to return to his former employer in 2025 as Sergio Perez’s future career remains a big question mark, and he would also be a solid option for Mercedes to fill the void left behind. through Hamilton.
Hamilton’s departure will leave a huge void at Mercedes, which he joined in 2013.
He won six drivers championships with the team, adding to his 2008 title with McLaren, and was with the team for its record run of eight constructors championships between 2014 and 2021.