Formula 1 CEO Stefano Domenicali is delighted with Lewis Hamilton’s decision to move to Ferrari in 2025 as it “guarantees” that there will be attention on the sport next year.
Hamilton has been associated with Mercedes since he entered F1 in 2007 and had looked destined to end his career with the marque after penning a two-year deal.
However, the extension, which was signed last August, included a break clause that Hamilton has activated to pursue a switch to Ferrari from the beginning of next season.
The Briton will replace the incumbent Carlos Sainz to partner Charles Leclerc, who has recently committed his long-term future to the Italian outfit with a long-term renewal.
Domenicali, who was Team Principal at Ferrari from 2008 until 2014, believes that Hamilton driving for Ferrari ensures that there will be an interest in the series in 2025.
“It is certainly very interesting news which has had an extraordinary response not only in Italy, in England you can just imagine, but also around the world this is a guarantee of extending attention to our world also for next year,” Domenicali told Sportmediaset.it.
Last season witnessed Red Bull achieve an unprecedented scale of dominance as it romped to victory in all but one of the 22 races to seal another championship double.
That prompted London-based social intelligence group Buzz Radar to publish its findings that F1’s social engagement figures had declined for the first time since 2018.
Hamilton was the last driver to challenge reigning champion Max Verstappen, when the two went head-to-head until the final round in a thrilling title battle back in 2021.
However, the Briton has not won a single race since December of that year due to Mercedes struggling to nail a concept upon F1’s switch to ground effect cars in 2022.
But while Hamilton will not make the switch to Maranello yet, Domenicali is certain that the dynamic at Ferrari and Mercedes will be a fascinating subplot to track this season.
“It is certainly very positive, but I believe that the effect will also be notable for what can happen on the track within Ferrari and also Mercedes,” the Italian added.
“The dynamics and relationships will change, and this will only be good for the interests of our championship.”
Mercedes Team Principal Toto Wolff has asserted that Hamilton and team-mate George Russell will continue to be treated as equals despite the former’s impending exit.
“I think what I have always tried to do as a Team Principal and all of us at Mercedes is to be transparent and fair and nothing will change in that respect in 2024,” he told media, including Motorsport Week. “We owe it to our principles and our racing intent – how we go about – and we will respect that. And I’m sure the drivers will respect that.
“In terms of the development going forward, I think it’s something we have to look at. The regulations stay pretty much the same and when it comes to 2025, we will evaluate later in the season what it means in terms of technical information, but it is not something that bothers me at all.”
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