Lewis Hamilton on Ferrari Move: “Time to Write a New Chapter”, as Mercedes Struggles in Pre Season Testing

Published 02/23/2024, 10:44 AM EST

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via Reuters

Lewis Hamilton and Mercedes always seemed inseparable for the last decade, but that was before the 7-time world champion decided to walk out. Although Lewis Hamilton still has a year with Mercedes, his transfer to Ferrari next season will reshape a lot of the sport. In the last decade, there have been only two teams battling for the Constructor Cup title and that is Red Bull and Mercedes. In comparison, the legendary car maker Ferrari has been off its game.

Ferrari is the oldest team in the sport with their first race dating to the 1950s. But while they carry a legacy, it’s been a while since they last saw a Championship win. During the reign of Red Bull and Mercedes, Lewis Hamilton surprised the world by picking Ferrari, and during the Pre-season testing the seven-time world champion shared why he switched lanes.

A new chapter for Lewis Hamilton and Ferrari

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During the pre-season testing, at a press conference, Lewis Hamilton broke silence on the real reason behind him leaving the Silver Arrow for the stable of the Prancing Horses. Describing his past with Mercedes, Hamilton said, “I saw my future with Mercedes back then. But then new opportunities opened up at the turn of the year and I decided to take advantage of them. That was it, the hardest decision of my life.”

Crediting his old team for everything they achieved together, Hamilton continued, “I am proud of what we have achieved with Mercedes. But I had the feeling that now the time had come to write a new chapter.” Telling the world what his childhood dreams were, the Billion Dollar Man said, ” Like all drivers, I watched Michael Schumacher in my youth in its heyday. You think about what it would be like to drive in red one day.”

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Now that Hamilton is joining Ferrari, he shared a story about his first ever Ferrari and said, “I’ve never been to Maranello. I bought my first Ferrari in 2010, as a gift to myself. But I quickly sold it. When I went to Mercedes, I thought it wasn’t looking good.” With his partnership with Mercedes soon to be over, Hamilton can now purchase a Ferrari without any guilt or commitments. There is a good chance that besides becoming the brand ambassador for the company, he might also get a free Ferrari for joining the team. And this wouldn’t be the first instance of a driver being showered with this particular gift.

Here are the cars each F1 driver is given by their team company

According to a report by oversteer48, While Lewis Hamilton was in Mercedes, he drove around the Mercedes EQC 400, which he supposedly ordered according to an advertisement by the company. Judging from the looks of it, it might just have been given to the driver for free, as advertising with the best F1 driver in the world could be quite expensive. On the other hand, his partner George Russell was given a G-Wagon from the team to commute around.

via Reuters

When it comes to Red Bull and VCARB drivers, although they don’t come from a car manufacturing business, because they used to use Honda power units, their vehicle of choice for each driver was the Honda Civic, type R. The two luckiest drivers on the list have to be the McLaren racers. Lando Norris was reportedly gifted a McLaren 570s while on the other hand, Oscar Piastri received the McLaren Artura.

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French driver Esteban Ocon was given an A110 sports car, with a special livery from the F1 car of the year, according to the report.

That being said, do you think Lewis Hamilton will get an iconic Ferrari for becoming the company’s brand ambassador?

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Written by:

Viren Mirpuri

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Viren Mirpuri is an F1 Writer at EssentiallySports. With a Degree in Mass Media and a Specialization in Journalism, Viren is known for his speedy race day coverage outside of discussing the engine technicalities. Whether he's dissecting the latest technical innovations or unraveling the drama on and off the track, he ensures that his readers stay engaged and informed.
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Edited by:

Ariva Debnath