Lewis Hamilton is set to finish his career with Ferrari, a drаmаtic departure from his beloved Mercedes.
The seven-time world champion has two years remaining on his current contract, which he signed last year. Throughout his career, Ferrari has been linked with a move for the Briton, but no deal has been completed.
However, this year’s biggest transfer story on football’s Deadline Day comes from the Formula One world, where sources sаy Hamilton is close to agreeing to a move to Ferrari.
The move would not be immediate; the 39-year-old has committed to Mercedes for at least this season. It was thought that the contract he signed guaranteed two more seasons, but according to reports, 2025 is only an option, leaving Hamilton free to join Ferrari next year.
He would be joining Charles Leclerc, who last month signed a new multi-year contract extension. Carlos Sainz, whose current contract expires at the end of this year, would need to find a new race seat for the 2025 season.
It would also leave Toto Wolff with the difficult task of replacing one of F1’s greatest ever drivers. George Russell also signed a two-year contract extension with Mercedes last year and is considered the team’s future.
If Hamilton decides to switch teams, it will indicate that he believes Ferrari is better positioned to provide him with a title-winning car in the coming years than Mercedes. The Briton’s final wish before retiring is to win a record-breаking eighth driver’s title.
Max Verstappen and his Red Bull team are currently dominating the grid, so it won’t be easy. The Dutchman’s advantage may be baked in until the next major car regulation change in 2026, when it appears Hamilton will be racing in a red car – if he is still on the grid at all.
“Because it is anyone’s dream, an attainable goal. It was never really possible, and I’ll never quite understand why. I wish them the best of luck, and in the near future, I hope to continue preventing them from winning the World Championship. I have a few Ferraris at home. I can drive them, but not the Ferrari F1.
That final part may change if he signs the contract offered to him by the Scuderia. They’ve spent years trying to get their man and now appear to be on the verge of doing so. Ferrari will be hoping Hamilton can deliver the team’s first world title since 2008.
Sainz’s most likely destination appears to be the Sauber team, which is currently branded as Stake F1. It is set to become the official Audi works team in 2026, and the Spaniard has held multiple talks with the German automaker, with whom his rallying star father, Carlos Sainz Sr., is closely associated.
