Right before the commencement of the 2024 Formula 1, the seven-time World Champion Lewis Hamilton made a shocking announcement, he is set to leave Mercedes at the end of 2024 and join hands with Ferrari from 2025 onwards, replacing Carlos Sainz.
🚨 Lewis Hamilton’s official statement:
“I have had an amazing 11 years with this team and I’m so proud of what we have achieved together. Mercedes has been part of my life since I was 13 years old. It’s a place where I have grown up, so making the decision to leave was one of…
— Mercedes-AMG F1 News (@MercedesNewsUK) February 1, 2024
This news took the world by surprise in 2023, when Hamilton himself had very proudly stated, “I see myself with Mercedes until my last days.” It seems like he has nothing left to give to Mercedes, hence this astounding move. Many had assumed that the British driver would retire with the Brackley outfit, but as of now, Hamilton is here to stay and chase for a record-breaking eighth World Champion title with Ferrari instead.
Hamilton’s former McLaren teammate Jenson Button, is keen to see how he [Hamilton] fits in with Ferrari. Although, he is optimistic about Hamilton building a symbiotic relationship with this new team, but expects an interesting rivalry between Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton, it will be gripping to watch whom Ferrari prefers as the contender for the title, the veteran Lewis Hamilton or their “golden-boy” Charles Leclerc.
Button believes, “It’s all about Ferrari winning the World Championships, of seven, eight years ago, it will be a tricky relationship. But now, he just seems so relaxed in himself and no, I don’t think they’re going to have issues as being team-mates at all. No more than Carlos [Sainz] and Charles have right now. They are willing to go to any extent to get back their reputation as the most successful team in Formula 1, and take Enzo Ferrari’s aspirations and legacy ahead and beyond.”
The former McLaren driver claims that Hamilton and Leclerc would have to deliver with titles and they wouldn’t have any problems working together.
Ferrari focuses more on the title and not the driver
At the end of 2024, Hamilton will head to Maranello, where he will partner with Charles Leclerc in pursuit of his eighth World Champion title. Jenson Button has given a heads-up to Lewis Hamilton, saying, “This will be a title pursuit unlike any other which Hamilton has experienced.”
Hamilton must keep in mind as he moves to Ferrari, that he will be winning races and hopefully titles, for the team more than winning for himself or to add another star to his many achievements in his career.
A tight competition between Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton can be expected
Jenson Button when asked for his opinion on the Hamilton and Leclerc pairing, told Sky F1: “I think if it was Lewis of sort of seven, eight years ago, it will be a tricky relationship. But now, he just seems so relaxed in himself and no, I don’t think they’re going to have issues as being team-mates at all. No more than Carlos [Sainz] and Charles have right now.”
“Do I think they’ll work well together? Yes. I think the positives that Charles has, he knows the team and speaks Italian. If he wanted to, he could make it difficult for Lewis and that team, the atmosphere,” said Button, he thinks if a conspiracy of this sort happens, it will not be very sportsmanlike. But at the end of the day, it is all about getting the team people behind you, to provide the strength.
Adverse conditions are most unlikely to take place at Maranello for Hamilton, as of now. Both the racer and Ferrari would make a joint effort to win races and titles from 2025 onwards.