- Years of conjecture turned to reality for Lewis Hamilton
- He always wanted to race for Ferrari
- The Mercedes W15 is still sluggish
Antony Hamilton, the father of F1 champion Lewis Hamilton has disclosed that his son kept them in the dark on his decision to sign with Ferrari in 2025.
Years of conjecture turned to reality when it was announced that Hamilton, the most successful driver in Formula 1 history, would be joining Ferrari at the end of the season.
Prior to the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, in which Hamilton finished in P9, his father confirmed that Hamilton never informed him or his mother of his move to Ferrari next season.
What Does Antony Hamilton Think of Lewis Hamilton Moving to Ferrari?
Antony says that his son has a right to choose his team of choice.
“The thing is, it’s his business. I always have an inkling that I know what’s going on, but it’s his deal and it was his decision,” he told the press.
Lewis Hamilton. Photo/Sports Illustrated
He admitted that he shared his son’s dream to drive for Scuderria Ferrari one day and it finally came to be.
“You know, it’s one of those things that when you’re a young kid, you always dream of racing for Ferrari. And we love all of the past teams, McLaren and Mercedes, but it’s the ultimate dream to be in a red car,” Antony said.
Hamilton started his Formula One career in 2007 with McLaren and won the World Championship the following year. And in 2012, he announced that he would be switching teams for the first time, moving to Mercedes starting in 2013.
He won a bulk of his F1 world championship title with Mercedes but the team has been hurdled by unending engineering issues making the racing car very slow.
Why Did Lewis Hamilton Choose Ferrari?
Hamilton expressed a need for a “fresh chapter” in his career, hinting at frustration with Mercedes’ recent struggles. Ferrari, on the other hand, appears on the rise, with Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz taking P3 in the last two races of the season.
The move reunites Hamilton with former junior Formula teammate Fred Vasseur, now Ferrari Team Principal.
Hamilton stated that his time with Mercedes complicated his childhood desire to race for Ferrari.
Mercedes gave him fast and powerful cars for nine years, and the team produced top-notch racing. While it is true that he won seven Formula One titles with the Silver Arrows, in 2022 and 2023 the car did not live up to his expectations.
The 2024 season is no different either with the W15 performing worse in the first two races of the season.
Lewis Hamilton. Photo/Showbiz Cheat Sheet
He said joining the Italian side is the penultimate step towards achieving his lifelong dream of racing for Ferrari. This was not an easy decision for him to make; he still owes Mercedes a lot for having him over the previous 10 years.
“Mercedes has been a huge part of my life since I was 13 years old, so this decision has been the hardest I’ve ever had to make,” he stated.
The British driver, who started with Mercedes in 2013, thanked the team for helping him achieve his childhood goals. Hamilton praised each and every one of his employees for their dedication and hard work.
Among them is Toto Wolff, the Mercedes team principal, with whom he formed the most successful Driver-Team alliance in the history of Formula One.
His sole reason for switching to Ferrari is his unwavering belief that he will make history once more—as he did with Mercedes from 2014 to 2020.
Hamilton still wants Mercedes to win this season. Nothing, according to the British driver, would make him happier than to leave the Formula One team where he competed for 11 years at the top of the standings.
He describes it as the greatest honor Toto Wolff, who has spent ten years with the squad, deserves. Between 2014 and 2020, Hamilton won seven F1 world championships with Mercedes.
The reasons why the team did not win its eighth championship in 2021 are still hotly debated, having begun with the season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
Max Verstappen of Red Bull, who has won the F1 constructors title three times in a row and he could be headed for a fourth one in 2024.
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