Formula 1

LEWIS HAMILTON LEAVING MERCEDES FOR SOME FRESH ITALIAN AIR! I SAY BRAVO BRAVO BRAVO!

Lewis Hamilton switching to Ferrari next year, according to reports, in a shock move that will see one of the sport’s greats join its most storied team.

Sky Sports News reported on Thursday that the seven-time world champion’s switch in 2025 would be made official after Mercedes employees were briefed. ESPN reported that the move is “as good as done” to replace Carlos Sainz, whose contract expires this year.

NBC News has not independently confirmed the news. Mercedes declined to comment, while Ferrari and Lewis Hamilton’s representatives did not immediately respond to queries.

Hamilton would finish out the 2024 season with Mercedes and then race alongside Ferrari star Charles Leclerc, who signed a multi-year contract extension with the Italian team last week.

While Red Bull has crushed the competition in the last two years, Ferrari and Mercedes have had close battles in both years for second place in the constructors’ championship, with Ferrari finishing ahead in 2022 and Mercedes finishing ahead in 2023.

Hamilton was rumored last year to be mulling a future move to Ferrari, but he shot down those rumors during the Monaco Grand Prix.

“Naturally when you’re in contract negotiations, there’s always going to be speculation. And I think ultimately that’s — unless you hear from me, then that’s all it is,” Hamilton said, joking that they may have been the result of reporters being “bored” between races.

Leclerc also addressed questions at the time about whether he would welcome Hamilton on the team.

“Lewis is such an incredible driver, has achieved so much in the sport. So I think anybody on the grid would love to have Lewis as a teammate, as everybody would learn a lot from him,” Leclerc said at the time, adding that he was happy to have Sainz as a teammate.