Ferrari: Lewis Hamilton holds secret meetings similar to Carlos Sainz before joining Maranello team
Yesterday at 04:10 PM
Lewis Hamilton is just a few weeks away from making the highly anticipated switch from Mercedes to Ferrari, as his move to the Maranello team draws near.
The seven-time world champion is set to join Ferrari in 2025, where he will team up with Charles Leclerc. Lewis Hamilton has secured a lucrative £39 million-per-year contract with Ferrari that runs through to 2026, with an option for an additional year, as he aims to secure a record-breaking eighth World Championship.
Hamilton will be replacing Carlos Sainz, with the announcement of his transfer coming even before either driver had stepped into their 2024 cars in February. Carlos Sainz will be moving to Williams next season, where he will partner with Alex Albon.
Both Hamilton and Sainz have recently bid their farewells to their respective teams in preparation for their 2025 moves. Hamilton’s departure from Mercedes was marked with a special evening at the team’s Brackley factory, where thousands of fans and team personnel gathered to celebrate his contributions and wish him well for the next phase of his career.
After four years at Ferrari, Sainz was given a memorable farewell by the Scuderia, as he and his father, Carlos Sainz Sr., drove the 2022 F1-75 cars around Ferrari's Fiorano test track in a heartfelt gesture from the team.
Lewis Hamilton Engages in the Same 'Secret Meetings' as Carlos Sainz Before Joining Ferrari
The Spanish driver has already had the chance to test with Williams at the post-season test in Abu Dhabi, where he recorded the second-fastest time behind Leclerc.
Although it was suggested that Hamilton might also participate in the same test with Ferrari, Mercedes blocked him from doing so as he is still under contract until the end of the year.
Since Lewis Hamilton's Ferrari contract doesn't kick in until January, he is expected to complete a test session at Ferrari's Fiorano Circuit before the start of pre-season testing in February. Although the start of his official collaboration with the team seems some way off, reports from the Italian news website AutoRacer suggest that the two parties have already had some initial meetings.
According to the report, Lewis Hamilton has already made a "private visit to Maranello" ahead of his 2025 move. These "secret meetings" echo those that Carlos Sainz had with Ferrari before his own transfer in 2021, when he was still under contract with McLaren. The British driver’s visit highlights his eagerness to begin this new chapter of his career and his strong desire to get up to speed with Ferrari as quickly as possible.
Lewis Hamilton’s Mercedes Farewell Season Didn’t Go as Planned
The remarkable partnership between Hamilton and Mercedes, arguably the most successful in Formula 1 history, will come to an end after 12 memorable years. Unfortunately, the seven-time Formula 1 world champion’s final F1 campaign with Mercedes did not unfold in the way he had hoped. Throughout 2024, the Brit struggled to find consistency with his Mercedes machinery, as the W15 car proved to be unpredictable and difficult to handle. One of Lewis Hamilton's key challenges was qualifying, where he was eliminated four times in Q1. The 39-year-old driver was often seen visibly frustrated with his car and his performances, frequently criticizing himself and expressing doubts about his speed.
Formula 1 commentator Justin Bell has suggested that Lewis Hamilton needs to shake off these self-critical thoughts and approach his time with Ferrari with a fresh mindset, allowing him to showcase his undeniable talent to the world once again.
Despite the struggles, Lewis Hamilton did manage to deliver moments of brilliance throughout the season, even as he recorded his lowest career finish in the standings, placing seventh. He secured two race victories—his first wins since 2021—and produced a remarkable drive from 16th on the grid to finish fourth in his final race with Mercedes at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
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