Seven-time F1 champion Lewis Hamilton will only race for Mercedes until the end of the 2024 season, before joining Ferrari.
Hamilton has a contract with Mercedes until the end of the 2025 season, but Sky Sports suggests the 39-year-old driver will not fulfill his obligations. Negotiations between Hamilton and Ferrari are nearing completion, and the deal is expected to be announced soon. This deal is surprising because Mercedes and Ferrari are direct rivals, and the 39-year-old driver has driven Mercedes cars throughout his career.
Lewis Hamilton at the 2022 Saudi Arabia Grand Prix. Photo: AP
Hamilton currently holds the record for seven F1 championships, tied with Michael Schumacher, won in 2008, 2014, 2015, 2017, 2018, 2019, and 2020. His 2008 victory came in a McLaren MP4-23, while the subsequent six titles were won in a Mercedes. Since making his F1 debut in 2007, the British driver has spent his entire career driving Mercedes cars. However, from 2005 onwards, he will race Ferraris in F1 for the first time, at the age of 40.
Mercedes dominated the hybrid engine era in F1 from 2014 to 2020. However, changes to the racing regulations and engines led to Red Bull emerging as the most powerful car from 2021 onwards. Since then, Max Verstappen has won three consecutive championships with Red Bull, while Hamilton has finished second, sixth, and third respectively.
In Formula 1, Mercedes and Ferrari are the main rivals for second place behind Red Bull. Last season, Hamilton's team finished second, just three points ahead of Ferrari. Both teams also have a rich history, with Ferrari winning 16 titles and Mercedes finishing third with eight.
The 2024 season will begin on March 2nd in Bahrain, with 24 races, ending in Abu Dhabi on December 8th. Hamilton will compete in George Russell's final season, while Ferrari will continue to use Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz. Sainz's contract expires at the end of this season, and there are rumors that he will move to a new team, Audi, in 2026. The internal rivalry between Hamilton and Leclerc at Ferrari in 2025 is expected to be exciting.
Xuan Binh
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