It came as a real shock to everyone in the motor racing world when Ferrari confirmed that Lewis Hamilton would be joining them for the 2025 Formula 1 season.
Despite rumors of a potential Hamilton x Ferrari partnership having circled since 2018, not many people actually expected it ever to happen, especially when considering the fact that Hamilton has been with Mercedes for over a decade.
But Hamilton’s masterplan to join Ferrari seems to all the way back to 2015, then three years into his current stint at Mercedes. While at a bar in Tokyo, he reportedly told Matt Bishop (then McLaren Communications Director) during a conversation:
“Well, what I’d really like to do, one day, is drive for Ferrari,” Hamilton reportedly said. “That would be a great way to end my F1 career, wouldn’t it? To win [Drivers’] championships for McLaren, Mercedes, and Ferrari.”
Now, Hamilton’s dream could soon become a reality. He’ll have to finish the on-going 2024 F1 season with Mercedes first, though, which is currently underway with the Canadian GP, British GP, and plenty of other races still to come.
When will Lewis Hamilton join Ferrari?
Lewis Hamilton will officially join Ferrari for the start of the 2025 F1 season on a multi-year contract worth a reported $80 million a season, once again making him the highest-paid Formula 1 driver.
Originally, Hamilton had signed a deal with Mercedes to keep him with them until 2025 but a release clause in his contract has been activated, allowing Hamilton to leave a year early and achieve his long-term goal of joining Ferrari.
Although details of Hamilton’s explosive Ferrari contract are not yet confirmed, the total value of the contract could be worth over $400 million. John Elkann (Chief Executive Officer of EXOR, the biggest shareholder of Stellantis and Ferrari) has reportedly proposed investments of over $250 million to go towards some of Hamilton’s off-track ventures, such as his charity foundation Mission 44. On top of this, it’s also rumored that Hamilton’s contract will see him under an ambassadorial role for Ferrari until 2035.
The likely long-term plan is that Hamilton will race for Ferrari in 2025 and 2026 before extending his contract for at least one additional season, taking him up to 2027. Hamilton recently commented that he’s looking to emulate Fernando Alonso’s career by racing “well into my 40s”, so this would match with Hamilton’s ambition. He will then be given free rein regarding how long he wants to keep racing before finally retiring.
Post-retirement, Hamilton could then pursue his off-track interests while serving as a Ferrari ambassador until 2035.
Lewis Hamilton will debut for Ferrari at the Australian Grand Prix 2025
Lewis Hamilton’s Formula 1 debut for Ferrari will be at the Australian Grand Prix, the first event of the 2025 F1 calendar.
It will be an iconic event at Albert Park, with millions of eyes on Hamilton making his Ferrari Formula 1 debut, who will be racing in the iconic Italian red. This will also be the first time the Australian GP has hosted the opening event of the season since 2019, so you can expect it to be an instant sellout.
One certainty is that countless Formula 1 fans will place bets on Hamilton to win the Australian GP as he looks to get off to the best possible start with Ferrari. If you also want to bet on Hamilton during the 2025 F1 season (or even before then), it’s important that you use the expert gambling site gamble-usa.com to understand how betting odds work. Hamilton is currently having a poor 2024 season, so it’s recommended that you wait until he links up with Ferrari in 2025 until you place a bet on him to win another Grand Prix.
Lewis Hamilton and Ferrari: Destined for success?
Although some Formula 1 fans believe that Lewis Hamilton is joining Ferrari too late in his career, the partnership is still likely to be a huge success. Hamilton has failed to win since 2021’s Saudi Arabian Grand Prix and Mercedes has struggled after recent changes to its cars, so now is the perfect time for Hamilton to make the switch and (potentially) have one final championship run before retiring.
Every driver has the dream to drive for Ferrari in their Formula 1 career. Lewis Hamilton, who holds the all-time record of 103 F1 wins, is no different. It’s absolutely the right move to make at this stage in career, with the win-win situation of either reigniting his career or being able to retire having raced for the trinity of McLaren, Mercedes, and Ferrari.
