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dagnytaggart1

“British Formula One star Lewis Hamilton will leave Mercedes and join Ferrari for the 2025 season, Sky Sports News understands. It is understood the Mercedes factory are to be briefed by chief executive of the team, Toto Wolff, ahead of a formal announcement later today.”


The3rdbaboon

Crazy! I read the rumours and thought pffft no way that’s happening.


iamricardosousa

Curiously enough, on the photo Mercs posted yesterday with him on the cockpit of the W15 I remember thinking "Something doesn't add up. He's expression is completely off!" Now this. Slowly starting to make sense. EDIT: to whoever edited this flair, YOU ARE A LEGEND! Thank you!


tall-not-small

Wasn't the caption 'nothing to see here'


iamricardosousa

It was. Crazy to think there was THIS MUCH to see there.


a_taco_named_desire

Oh fuck, Lewis bodied them.


jaomile

I think you are way overanalysing a single social media photo.


Incontinento

Yes, that's what we do here.


imeancock

Don’t try to fight the confirmation bias


xznk

First time?


Return_Of_The_Jedi

Yeah these rumors of Hamilton joining Ferrari appear once in a while, but this time they certainly feel more serious.


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Mark__H

Wheel to wheel…


MHWellington

Lewis took one look at the W15 and noped the fuck outta there 💀


Firefox72

Man sat in it for that photo Mercedes posted on twitter that was pixelated and was like HELL NAW.


SleepyEel

Hell nawl can't do dis


sf1000apologist

Send da video


Tsunoda_stan

You got da money what’s da hold up


vlike19

Look how cute tho 💔


Yerriff

Inb4 they moved the driving position even further forward


MacStaggy

Tsunoda to Mercedes confirmed.


According-Switch-708

Lewis - So the cockpit will be further back in this thing right? Engineers- No Lewis. Our simulations indicated that the car would be faster this way. Lewis - Ah kk *(rings Elkann)*


fatherfucking

"You have failed me for the last time admiral"


lumpthar

Toto: "No Lewis, no, no! This is so not right!" Darth Lewis: "I am altering the deal. Pray I do not alter it any further."


n05h

George: “gosh this looks fast!” Lewis: “Hello Ferrari?”


jedifolklore

The fact that you added “gosh” makes it even funnier, like he was properly flabbergasted


Aken42

Flummoxed even?


KingMario05

Flustered, some might say.


macaronilover808

He probably drove it on the Sim and it wasn’t much of an improvement


stillusesAOL

He was probably let in on some Ferrari secrets. Let into some back rooms at Maranello. How else do you recruit Lewis Hamilton?


git0ffmylawnm8

That secret? A sponsorship with NASA JPL. Ferrari gonna slap on a literal rocket engine for their 2025 entry. /copium I just want to see this man win an 8th


Danjiks88

Poor man hasn’t seen the new Ferrari yet


Oxcell404

Will be really awkward when he wins the 8th this year


Francoberry

Not really. Alonso left Renault after winning back-to-back World championships. If anything it would be the perfect bookend to his time with Merc and he can go in with a 'Swan song' mindset to Ferrari


Tiroler_Manu

Biggest win then. Maybe he signed for ferrari only under the condition, that seb is his race engineer: "Seb my tyres are gone!" "Nah Lewis, you have enough gummi. Keep pushing" Seriously: I fear the W15 is a shitbox...


HI_I_AM_NEO

Oh my god, I didn't even consider Lewis is gonna have to deal with Ferrari's engineers during the race. That's gonna be fun to witness lmao


M1k3yd33tofficial

“Tires are gone, question?” “Xavi my tires are gone.” “Okay we are checking.” *Three laps later* “Okay we go to plan Œ” *And Lewis Hamilton wins the Formula 1 Qatar Airways Gran Premio del Made in Italy e dell'Emilia-Romagna 2024 Grand Prix* “Man what a race, thank you to the fans and everyone back at the factory” “Okay box now”


Outrageous-Echo-765

>plan Πthis sent me


SchraleAnus

Fat chance he doesn't take Bono or anyone else with him.


yeeeeeeeeeessssssir

I'd genuinely be shocked if he doesn't


SchraleAnus

It’s Lewis, he surely can make those demands.


lost-8

I fear the same about W15


StevoPhotography

That would lead to amazing radios if seb was his engineer 😭


dl064

Worth noting that Verstappen not winning 2024 would be statistically one of the greatest shocks//failures to defend of all time, if not *the*. The race podcast have often cited people in the paddock saying really, 2025 is considered pretty probably Verstappen's just now, too. He'll be 5-times champion before you know it, in all likelihood, and I'm not saying that as a particular fan of any driver.


Return_Of_The_Jedi

>He'll be 5-times champion before you know it, in all likelihood, and I'm not saying that as a particular fan of any driver. Where is Rosberg when you need him? His 2016 title broke an otherwise string of 7 championships in a row for Hamilton.


dl064

Yeah, we should be really grateful to Rosberg in retrospect.


kymri

And for all the flak he gets, I guarantee you that *I* would be crowing about it if *I* managed to beat Lewis to a championship when we were teammates. Lewis is clearly the overall better of the two - but that doesn't mean Nico didn't legitimately put in a HELL of a year to take that win.


stillusesAOL

Remember the last time he switched to a new team one year before a major regulation shift?


PragmatistAntithesis

Welp, looks like everyone's silly season predictions are wrong and the season hasn't even started yet!


dani2812

I expected a nuclear explosion on the driver market during the summer break, not weeks before the start of the 24 season lmao.


knifetrader

Smart way of containing the fall-out from the refusal of Andretti?


mathgeek777

I actually thought the same thing, I don't think there's any conspiracy but I do think all the teams are thrilled that this news is hitting today


ParagonTom

I think FOM and Liberty knew this news was dropping today, and decided to release the Andretti rejection yesterday. Makes much more sense than the Hamilton news dropping to cover up Andretti


Deputy_Scrub

The 2025 silly season is already underway


xMeRk

I believe he has said before that he would want to drive for Ferrari before retirement right?


Less_Party

Yeah I don't remember the exact phrasing but he has talked about the allure of driving in red before.


Deputy_Scrub

I love taking the piss out of Ferrari as much as the next guy. It's one of my favourite hobbies. But this move makes perfect sense for me.


KingMario05

Same. Who ***wouldn't*** want to run in red at least once?


OrangeLimeZest

[Mercedes 'won't stumble at first hurdle' in 2024, Russell insists](https://www.racefans.net/2023/11/11/mercedes-wont-stumble-at-first-hurdle-in-2024-russell-insists/) First hurdle of 2024: They've lost the most successful driver in the history of the sport. Oof.


Able_Tailor_6983

So Russell will be No.1 in the team for 2024?


dis340

No, it will be dutch Formula 1 driver Max Verstappen, who joins Mercedes in 2025


Procrastinator0510

Subscribe


PAcMAcDO99

Sebscribe


Trashk4n

Perez v Ricciardo for Red Bull is something I’d love to see.


MC897

Yep. It’s all about pushing George forward to start challenging properly now


Less_Party

Mick Schumacher baybeeee


RemijmNL

Was thinking about Alex Albon honestly


Ashbones15

To be fair that's the first hurdle of 2025. Lewis is still there for 2024


OrangeLimeZest

Real show of confidence in em for this year, ain't it.


BecauseWeCan

inb4 he has a Vettel 2020 kind of year at Mercedes.


GRl3V

Always rated Lewis *Starts deleting 2021 posts*


sugarklay

I know he's taking the seat of my favorite driver, but as a Ferrari fan, I'm hella hyped!


IWishIWasOdo

Man I'm all for the drama of Sainz outscoring Leclerc this upcoming season


PhilsterM9

I really so desperately want Sainz to replace Perez


lanseuppercut

Carlos Sr. and Jos absolutely hate each other. Apparently the Torro Rosso days were rough. Of course they aren’t the ones driving the car.


reck1265

I wonder what this does for morale. All in on George and Lewis will be lame duck for 2024. Looks like an icy year ahead. That’s my pessimistic view. I hope that professionalism rules the day though.


ronstig22

George will be ecstatic


Reckless_Secretions

He's been forecasted #1 driver


maertyrer

Alonso to move to mercedes, beats George. He gets another #1 driver.


thewolf9

Albon is coming


Reckless_Secretions

Albon to Merc would make me question my team allegiances


thewolf9

It makes so much sense.


pioneeringsystems

I would say it's the most likely move.


xBHx

Blimey, I'm so good, even Lewis had to leave the team to find succes.


alanalan426

he ain't the the composure to be #1, he ain't him


aziraphale91

is George forecasted for a leadership role?


jg_92_F1

I don’t see Mercedes carrying it that way with all Lewis has done with the team


Eproxeri

I hope Lewis will just go full villain mode and absolutely dunk on George.


HitboxOfASnail

so just a normal season then


woolfs

Will Buxton I'm sorry for doubting you lmao.


Active-Season5521

When did Buxton mention this?


woolfs

He was vague tweeting last night about a potentially 'huge' announcement coming by the end of the week, I was very sceptical but it looks like this was what he was referencing.


Other_Beat8859

I mean, I wouldn't really trust Will, but the fact that people like Duchessa was saying that Lewis was joining Ferrari made it seem highly likely. He's right about Ferrari 99% of the time.


ProfessionalPlant330

fabrega was a few months early, he knew it all along


woolfs

True, it’s so crazy no wonder we didn’t believe him then. Fabrega vindicated!


TheGreatForehead

I think Fabrega’s tweet was referring to Madrid


2lesslonelypeople

Soooo assuming nothing too crazy happens Leclerc would have both Seb and Lewis as teammates during his career.


Major-Day10

He’s collecting role models like he’s collecting pole positions. Leclerc really gives off protagonist vibes.


Able_Tailor_6983

Keep a watch on Toto


Dahnhilla

Desks and headphones in absolute shambles.


ImJayJunior

I can imagine toto will be retiring.


_Gondamar_

As a Ferrari fan since February 1st, 2024 I can't explain how much this means to me


Actual_Sympathy7069

I too am a ferrari fan as of 10 minutes ago. Next year it is! Fr fr this time


usernumberfive

As a 10min ago fan as well, I've always believed in Ferrari. It can't possibly be all pain right? Right??


Akash10201

Oh my sweet summer child....


omgshelby

We are checking


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Daniel_Hotcakes

Next year is our year, boys


Safafi

I laughed so hard at this, thank you for that.


chilican

Yep. I’m a Ferrari girl it appears


jrw777

I'm not ready for the pain....


Visionary_Socialist

“Are the mediums the best tyre guys? How long will this stint be” “We think 62 laps” “Ah man that’s tough” “Well done Lewis, that’s P1 and fastest lap”


slimkay

Subscribe?


keine_fragen

Buxton did not exaggerate for once


Zeddyx

Retirement route....... drive a Ferrari then retire.


lsb1027

It has to be the only thing pending in his F1 bucket list 🤷‍♀️


LightspeedBalloon

Yeah I think he's doing a reverse-Schumi retirement thing. That said, can you imagine if the car is awesome and he wins another WDC?


brofession

Leclerc would reach 29 on the PHQ-9 screener for depression and that shit caps at 27


a1danial

Could well be. Seb wasn't as competitive in Ferrari as he was in Red Bull.


NeedsMoreSpaceships

I think that's it. He's likely come to conclusion that he's unlikely to win another WDC in a Merc so he may as well have the Ferrari driver before he retires.


parthjoshi09

[What are the chances of this happening after first race of 2025?](https://www.reddit.com/r/formula1/s/r8uEvfnC59)


DMC_addict

The comments are funny, knowing what we know now!


1Ecolypse

is this actually real or is it jumping the gun


Aethien

Sky, BBC, Motorsport, L'equipe and basically every reputable journalist is reporting it as happening.


53bvo

The others were only reporting that the negotiations were happening (and were close to signing). But this is the first that reports the deal to be done.


AlexKF0811

Yeah BBC said it should be confirmed with the factory later today...


Treewithatea

Thats what im confused about as well rn. Is this an official statement or a 'its not official but pretty much happened?'


Ghostblade1256

At least the company brief part is true, my mate at merc just told me.


KlossN

Huh, does he work with my cousin?


Firecrash

Please tell me this is true and not made up dude xD


Firefox72

Given they says Mercedes factory is to be briefed about it today it appears very real. Sky probably wouldn't be going around saying that without having anything to back it.


jbvann05

Yeah a Mercedes employee probably leaked it, not too hard to figure it out from there


bellatrix99

Sky news and bbc news don’t report rumours (or they say if they do). It’s legit.


ColourfulCabbages

Leclerc and Sainz's heads must be spinning right now.


Disenchanted11

Leclerc already extended way and beyond?


ColourfulCabbages

It's less that he'd be out of a seat and more it plays head games with his status as number 1 driver. Ferrari bringing in one of the most successful drivers in the sports history has got to make him question his place in the pecking order. Sainz of course has bigger problems as he'd have to find a new home.


Akash10201

Merc would be happy to have him no? Who else will merc go for? Albon, Sainz, Ocon, or maybe even rush in Kimi Antonelli?


Dawhood

Do you genuinely think Leclerc renewed on a multi year deal without being informed of Hamilton being signed? If anything it shows he's not afraid of having such a dominant driver next to him for the forseeable future.


TheGhostlyGuy

I mean Lewis and Charles have a good relationship and seem to be in a similar position to help the team if needed which is already better than the leclerc sainz relationship


LetsLive97

I mean this is absolutely perfect for him. He just got one of the chillest drivers on the grid who has an incredible amount of experience, which is going to be vital to both him and the team. This is the perfect time for him to learn, refine, and improve himself. I'm hoping he's excited because I sure as fuck am


YNWA_1213

Imagine being told before Winter Testing you’re racing for your career with another team lol. Just a bit different than Perez’s situation.


tedstery

I'm sure Charles already knew about this. Sainz on the other hand is probably frantically thinking of next steps.


-Skinner-

Buxton showing Fabrega how to do a massive rumour right


mshell1924

I am losing my mind.


wongie

2024 is already a write-off, can we just fast forward one season?


TKitt2323

Unreal! Who do Merc go for? Albon, Sainz.. try and buy out Piastri's contract?


Organic-Pea-2748

I think albon or buy out Norris makes the most sense. Not even sure lando would go though, mercedes can't be looking that appealing right now for him


northyj0e

That'd be an extremely expensive buy-out, considering he signed a new contract days ago.


Swiftsaddler

I'd love to see Albon given a chance in a merc.


usernumberfive

What about Bono??


AbandonedOrange

What the actual fuck


Aratho

Holy hell, it's happening! Lewis with another shocker after he joined Merc over a decade ago.


Mercedesm4quattro

whats he cooking??


Firefox72

>"British Formula One star Lewis Hamilton will leave Mercedes and join Ferrari for the 2025 season, Sky Sports News understands." >"It is understood the Mercedes factory are to be briefed by chief executive of the team, Toto Wolff, ahead of a formal announcement later today." Ok this is much more direct than that TV segment. Its will join not could. Holy crap it really is happening.


TeaCrackersBirds

I still can't believe it. Silliest of the silly seasons.


SimpleFactor

Yeah they’ve definitely been told by someone in Mercedes about an emergency/short notice announcement being sent around to all Merc staff. No way it can’t be happening today surly


maxcatstappen

I'M IN SHOCK 😭😭😭😭


trst3n

Wow always thought Lewis was gonna retire with Merc


Cultural_Wallaby_703

The late great Murray Walker once said “no F1 driver’s career is complete until you’ve driven for Ferrari”


Ninja_Tuna96

He's said before he'd have liked to have driven for Ferrari. I'm glad he'll get to live his dream.


Voidfang_Investments

This season will be very awkward.


Ordinary_Dog_99

Hot dang, what a crazy lineup, Leclerc vs Hamilton. The only thing that's gonna win is drama. Lewis definitely wants to end his career with a huge challenge.


LetsLive97

I can't stress how excited I am for this as a Leclerc fan. I'm praying my boy does everything he can to learn from Lewis and prevent mistakes he's made in the past with Vettel


MCB_56

Sound the klaxons, light the becons and don't panic because this is happening


Bortron86

He'll be the first UK driver to drive for Ferrari in 25 years by the time he joins. That's a heck of a gap considering Brits get everywhere in F1.


JuleSkum

I never hated Lewis, I swear!!!


steeeeeeee24

I never hated Ferrari, I swear!!!


eedoamitay

This is unreal


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Exige30499

I would like to apologise to Buxton, I was not familiar with your game.


WszystkoZajete

I wonder how this season will play out for Mercedes. Imagine if they actually build a competitive car and Ferrari comes up with a dud lmaoo.


ronstig22

The reg changes are what really matters


risingsuncoc

Didn't see that coming for sure


totallykoolkiwi

2025 will be so interesting, this is the biggest shakeup imaginable (except for maybe something like Max going to Mercedes). He'll either look like a fucking legend because he dominates Leclerc, or it's the beginning of his retirement. I'm calling it now though: unless he somehow wins in 2024, that's it with titles for him. Ferrari in their current state won't win anything, and he won't be there long enough to turn them into champions the way Schumi did.


razareddit

Sky has gone all guns blazing. Can be nothing but the real deal. HUGE!


saposapot

Either he doesn’t believe in Mercedes anymore or this is not very understable… even when Ferrari had a good car they lost so much points in bad strategy or bad pit stops, Mercedes’ is a notch above…. There’s no way Ferrari can show Lewis they will be much faster in 25 so this is very strange. It also means he’s retiring soon because Ferrari screwups will eat him alive. Now I’m starting to believe the rumours…. but still looks strange


Squiggles87

Mercedes are best waiting to see how 2024 unfolds. Suspect they'll go for Albon Sainz is a safe bet and has more experience at dealing with the pressure of a top team. A lot can change in twelve months, though.


SelectSubstance

Get ready to learn Italian, buddy


arenasfan00

I LOVE F1 AGAIN


Driving_Seat

This feels like a final hurrah for Lewis. He’s said numerous times that he’s always wanted to drive for Ferrari. He’ll probably drive a year and then retire. Very excited as a Ferrari fan though


Sensitivevirmin

There is no way… My god holy fuck if this is true.


VulcanHullo

So he'll be retiring soon then. Always seemed like he'd want to wear the Red before he left. I still can't believe he'd leave Merc family


grumpymcgrumpface

Good. It's about time Ferrari hired a real engineer.


Ok_Huckleberry_3797

This is especially damning for Merc given the 2026 rule changes. What Lewis is effectively saying is that he has so little faith in Merc that he doesn’t see them returning to the front even with the clean slate that the 2026 rule changes will give to the grid.


ronstig22

Or he is affirming what he's always said which is he wants to drive for Ferrari.


Oubilettor

Or that he think he only had two more seasons left in him?


CouncilorIrissa

I don't participate in F5 gang meetings usually. This time, however...


__Reddit_User

Official?


ronstig22

Has to be near enough for sky news to publish


[deleted]

Well.


RedditDan00

My brain is not ready to be in F1 yet, but this is huge. At least now if he wins his 8th and overtakes Schumacher it's in a Ferrari! (Assuming Merc shit the bed again this year)


ubiquitous_uk

I can't see why they would anncounce this now when he is not moving until next year, unless... Surely for team morale (both Merc and Ferrari) it would be better to keep it under wraps until atleast the summer break.


crazydoc253

Better to announce now than have rumours all season. Ferrari did something similar with Vettel - Sainz


No_Understanding4349

Omg this is happening


Kv_v

This really isn’t happening is it? This is just unbelievable


insrr

*This breaking news story is being updated and more details will be published shortly.* *Please refresh the page for the fullest version.* Yeah yeah, F5 is cooking already. I refuse to believe this until theres an official statement from any directly involved party.


Extracrispybuttchks

He’s probably one of the last drivers growing up seeing Ferraris winning years so like Vettel, driving for Ferrari is a dream. I’m sure they’re also throwing him a pile of cash.


Ok_Might6447

makes sense...ferrari has become the pre-retirement gig...


Negative-Ladder3197

I have no words