Lewis Hamilton: when does Mercedes Formula 1 driver move to Ferrari - net worth explained

It was the news that shocked the Formula 1 world - Lewis Hamilton would be leaving Mercedes. Hamilton, 39, announced earlier this month that after eleven years with the Silver Arrows he would be parting ways with them in order to pursue a new adventure with their on-track rivals, Ferrari.

With Carlos Sainz's Ferrari contract ending at the end of the year, Fred Vasseur's side have opted to take on the seven-time world champion rather than renew the Spaniard's contract. Hamilton will partner up with Monegasque driver Charles Leclerc when he makes the swap.

The upcoming 2024 season begins this weekend with the Bahrain Grand Prix on Saturday 2 March at 3pm. The 20 drivers have comeback from their winter break ready for a 24-race year, a year which will mark Hamilton's last in a Mercedes car. Ahead of Saturday's race day, here is all you need to know about when and why Hamilton is making the move to the Italian Horses...

When does Lewis Hamilton move to Ferrari?

Hamilton will move to from the Silver Arrows to the Italian Horses ahead of the 2025 season. 2024 will mark his last year with Mercedes and he has been with the side since 2013 and won six drivers' championships with them.

The first win came in 2014 and he went on to win in 2015, 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2020. In total, the 39-year-old has 82 race victories with the Silver Arrows but has not one a race since the 2021 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix. Max Verstappen would then go on to take the controversial 2021 World Championship, however.

What has Lewis Hamilton said?

Speaking about the upcoming move, and what prompted him to make the decision, Hamilton said it was to fulfill a childhood dream.

"Of course, I think for every driver growing up", Hamilton said, "Watching the history, watching Michael Schumacher in his prime, I think probably all of us sit in our garage and see the screen pop up, and you see the driver in the red cockpit and you wonder what it would be like to be surrounded by the red.

"You go to the Italian Grand Prix and you see the sea of red Ferrari fans and you can only stand in awe of that. It’s a team that’s not had huge success recently, since 2007, and I saw it as a huge challenge. Without a doubt, even as a kid, I used to play [on games] as Michael in that car, so it definitely is a dream and I’m really, really excited about it."

When asked about what this means for his departure from Mercedes, Hamilton said: "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 the hardest decisions I have ever had to make.

"But the time is right for me to take this step and I’m excited to be taking on a new challenge. I will be forever grateful for the incredible support of my Mercedes family, especially Toto (Wolff) for his friendship and leadership and I want to finish on a high together. I am 100 per cent committed to delivering the best performance I can this season and making my last year with the Silver Arrows one to remember."

What is Lewis Hamilton's net worth?

The 39-year-old driver has a net worth of over $300 million (£237m) according to Celebrity Net Worth. He earns around $55m a year from racing and is one of the highest paid athletes in the world. He has also dabbled in other investments such as with fashion, the NFL franchise and film.