Ferrari is lining up a shock move for Lewis Hamilton to partner Charles Leclerc at the team from the 2025 Formula 1 season, according to recent reports in the Italian media.
Hamilton’s contractual situation dominated the off-track headlines during the early stages of 2023, with his previous deal set to expire at the end of the previous season.
Mercedes’ continued struggles into the second year of the current ground effect regulations promoted speculation that the Briton could elect to depart for pastures new.
The seven-time World Champion was most repeatedly linked with a switch to Ferrari, although both parties moved to swiftly deny that any negotiations had ever taken place.
Eventually, it was confirmed ahead of the Italian Grand Prix last September that Hamilton had penned a two-year deal to remain at Mercedes with George Russell.
Meanwhile, Ferrari announced last week that Leclerc had signed a fresh “multi-year” contract renewal that would commit him to the Scuderia for the foreseeable future.
But an agreement has not yet been reached with team-mate Carlos Sainz, and Formu1a.uno has revealed that the pursuit of Hamilton has been behind the stalled talks.
“The second seat, the one occupied by Carlos Sainz until the end of 2024, has not been confirmed,” the report reads. “The reason for this slow evolution, as Formu1a.uno has learned, would be the sensational attempt to bring Lewis Hamilton to Ferrari in 2025 alongside Charles Leclerc!”
The publication divulged that Hamilton’s current deal covers the upcoming season with an option for next year, which would open the door for him to leave Mercedes.
Furthermore, it states that “some talks took place directly with the President of Ferrari, John Elkann” and “if all goes well we could see this sensational announcement materialise in the next few days”.
Red Bull Team Principal Christian Horner had revealed late last year that he was informed Hamilton had held “serious” conversations regarding a transfer to the Maranello squad.
While Hamilton confirmed that he had a good relationship with the Ferrari hierarchy, he expressed that he had never received an offer to drive for F1’s most illustrious side.
Meanwhile, Ferrari boss Frederic Vasseur admits he spoke with Hamilton during the Azerbaijan Grand Prix in June, but laughed off suggestions contract talks had been held.
“I’m talking with Lewis each week or each month for 20 years, so I can’t say that I didn’t speak with Lewis at one stage, as we are always in contact,” Vasseur explained.
“It’s true because half of the grid drove for me in the past, and in Baku, I had a discussion with Lewis in the paddock, and it started to go everywhere, but if he signed a contract with me each time that we spoke in the past, it would cost me a fortune!”
Hamilton has retained a close relationship with Vasseur since securing the GP2 title in his maiden campaign in the second tier with the Frenchman’s ART GP team in 2006.
Having managed both Renault and Sauber beforehand, Vasseur was handpicked to replace the departing Mattia Binotto at the helm of Ferrari over the previous winter.
Ferrari rebounded from a troubled start to the season to log the only non-Red Bull win of 2023 but ended up three points behind Mercedes in the battle for second position.
Mercedes, on the other hand, was hampered by the decision to retain the contentious ‘zeropod’ concept and concluded an F1 season winless for the first time since 2011.
The possible announcement that Hamilton has agreed to join Ferrari would come as a huge surprise, with the 39-year-old having always reiterated his allegiance to Mercedes.
Hamilton has been powered by Mercedes his entire F1 career and has amassed six Drivers’ Championships, 82 victories, 148 podiums and 78 pole positions since switching to the German outfit in 2013.
The ex-McLaren driver shares the record for most titles with Michael Schumacher, who achieved five of his crowns with Ferrari consecutively between 2000 and 2004.
However, Ferrari has not won an F1 championship of any description since prevailing in the Constructors in 2008 – the same year Hamilton claimed his first title.
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