A surprise for many
Sunday 8 December 2024 will be the day on which the last round of the 2024 world championship will be held, as well as the last race Lewis Hamilton in Mercedes after twelve years spent with the Brackley team. In the days following the display of the checkered flag, #44 will be able to concentrate exclusively on Ferrariwhere he will land ahead of the season 2025. The surprise move of the seven-time world champion, made official at the beginning of February, has obviously generated numerous opinions, including that of another world champion, as well as Hamilton's former teammate at McLaren: Jenson Button.
The effects on F1, and beyond
He too was shocked by the 39-year-old's choice, commenting on it to the microphones of Sky Sports: “It's a huge thing for the sport – explained the Briton – If Lewis had stayed at Mercedes, winning races or not, it would have been good, but the move to Ferrari is a huge thing. Everyone will have their eyes on Formula 1, in particular on Ferrari and Lewis, but also on how Charles Leclerc will behave, who has a contract for 2025, so I imagine he will be the one to join Lewis at Ferrari. It's a big deal to make this change in your career when you've been with one team for so long. Suddenly switching to someone else's team is difficult, then Congrats to Lewis. It's a difficult thing“.
An alternative path at the end of your career
The collective surprise also increased due to the timing of the choice made by the Englishman, made official before the 2024 world championship and in advance of the contractual deadline with Mercedes expected at the end of 2025: “I think, obviously, 12 years at Mercedes is longer than most people spend in Formula 1. Maybe he also wanted something different to add some spice – he added – we all get to that point in our careers where we think: 'You know what? I did what I set out to do' and you choose to withdraw. He instead chose the other path and said: 'You know what? I feel like I need a change: I'm going to Ferrari.' So it's a big thing and I can't wait to see how he does with Ferrari. The strange thing is that it's quite early to talk about it. There's a year left before I get into Ferrari, so what will the atmosphere be like at Mercedes?”
A courageous choice
A curiosity, the latter, mainly linked to the climate that will be felt within the team for the entire upcoming season: “It's not easy. What are they hiding from Lewis? He knows the mechanisms of this team very well – he remarked – but when it comes down to it, Will there be things they won't tell Lewis? It's possible. Russell also needs to start thinking about a new teammate again. Will it be someone like one of his rivals in karting, like Albon, or will it be Fernando Alonso, the boy who never leaves? He is always there fighting for the top places in the top teams, so who knows? This certainly makes for an interesting year for us, as we are already looking ahead to 2025. For Lewis this is a courageous move and he should be given great respect, because he is not going to another team, but to Ferrari. He goes to a team where Italian is spoken, a language he doesn't know, but which Charles knows very well. It's a big thing, so I'm excited about it and it's a great thing for F1.”. In this regard, the 2009 world champion also revealed a background story: “I didn't have the chance to race for Ferrari, but I was very, very closewith the contract almost in hand.”
The replacement?
Hamilton's departure at the end of 2024 has inevitably raised another question: who will replace him at Mercedes? For Button there is a 'favorite': “I have to say, I might have a crush on my former teammate, but I would like to see Fernando Alonso. She is 42 years old, but the hunger is there, and if there is this, there is also physical fitness. He drives every day, with a go-kart or a racing car. I think it would be a great collaboration with Russell and they would learn very well from each other and work well together.”
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