Lewis Hamilton: seven-time Formula 1 world champion set for shock move to Ferrari

Lewis Hamilton, the seven-time World Champion in Formula 1, has been linked with a shock move to Ferrari for the 2025 season. No deal is yet to be confirmed but several sources have claimed that the links between the British 39-year-old and the Italian horses should be taken seriously. A recent report from the BBC also indicate that news of his move could be announced as early as next Thursday 8 February.

It would appear that Ferrari - whose current drivers are Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz - want the Briton to join Leclerc for next season's racing. The Italian team have recently agreed a contract extension for Monaco's Leclerc for "several more seasons" with a view to replacing the Spanish Sainz whose contract runs out at the end of this year.

Talks have reportedly dragged on, in regards to Sainz's contract. Having competed excellently against his teammate, the Spanish driver would have been in a commanding position to negotiate a higher salary and the preferred two-year deal but nothing had been made concrete. It was initially thought that the driver wanting the more-improved terms was the reason behind the delay but it would no appear as if Hamilton's prospective switch could be the driving force.

Reports of this potential move came from the Italian and Spanish media on Thursday and come after years of intermittent rumours of Hamilton moving to the Italian racing team but they had, until now, been of little substance.

Hamilton first joined Mercedes in 2013, following five years at McLaren with whom he won his first World Championship title in 2008. In his second year at Mercedes, Hamilton then won his second and would go on to win five more, amassing 103 race wins altogether.

His last win came in the controversial 2021 season at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix but it was ultimately Max Verstappen who walked away with the 2021 world title.

Hamilton signed his most recent two-year Mercedes deal in August, which was set to extend his period with the German side to 13 years. This deal, however, is now set to look like a one-plus-one arrangement with an exit clause at the end of the first term. This potential early exit could have been with a view for retirement rather than the Ferrari switch, however.

The Italian horses admitted to holding talks with the British driver in 2019 about the potential for him to join the team in the future.

Mercedes and Hamilton dominated the sport from 2013-2021 with Red Bull only being able to compete from 2020 onwards. Now, however, the tables have turned with Christian Horner's team completely terrorising the tracks as Max Verstappen marched to his third World Championship title in 2023.

It was thought Ferrari would be able to match Verstappen and Horner's car but a mixture of driver and tactical errors caused this plan to fail. Similarly, Mercedes - who had been so used to such domination - adapted poorly to the new rules brought into the sport two years ago.