Good news for Ferrari with the team strategist leaving (whoever replaces him can`t do any worse) and also,their new challenger said to be already roughly seven-tenths of a second up on what the SF-23 could achieve by the end of its service.
The way Horner tried to put Renault down , ( for Renault read Cyril Abiteboul ) when they were struggling was disgusting IMHO . I don’t remember much thanks when they were winning , but as soon as they struggle , Horner throws them under a bus
Just read Charles Leclerc has signed a new contract with Ferrari,but nobody seems to know for how long. I suppose this confirms the news from way back in August when not much was known.,apart from the €185 million being spoken of. Ferrari just say the deal is for many more years and I`m sure it will take him beyond the 2026 new regulations. What is to happen to poor Carlos,maybe he will be offered another one or two years and then head to Audi? I think if he does there`s nothing to say Audi will come up with a competitive car straight away,so his best chance of winning a championship is to really try and negotiate a long tearm deal with Ferrari.
https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/hamilton-set-to-make-shock-switch-to-ferrari-in-f1-2025/10571247/ Holy ****. There's you're explanation for why Sainz didn't get a contract...
Wow !!! Breaking news EH ? Do you think it`s real? It would be great to watch It would definitely please sgt because he`s always said he`d like to see him in red a couple of seasons .
All the major sources are reporting it now. Seems very real, might even get an official announcement today. I bet Ferrari tipped off FOM. Can't be a coincidence that they dropped the Andretti bombshell only a few hours before the biggest driver transfer of the decade overshadows it. No idea where Mercedes go from here. Can they really run a Russell-Sainz line up whilst Ferrari have Leclerc-Hamilton?
From the BBC Lewis Hamilton: Seven-time world champion on verge of shock move to Ferrari from Mercedes Published 24 minutes ago comments Comments Share please log in to view this image IMAGE SOURCE, GETTY IMAGES Image caption, Lewis Hamilton is a seven-time world champion and has won 103 grands prix By Andrew Benson Chief F1 writer Lewis Hamilton is poised for a shock move to Ferrari for the 2025 season, BBC Sport understands. Several sources say claims of links between the seven-time champion and Ferrari should be taken seriously. A deal could be announced as early as Thursday. Ferrari want Hamilton to join Charles Leclerc for the 2025 season. The 39-year-old signed a new two-year deal with Mercedes for 2024 and 2025 last summer but it seems he can leave after one season, should he choose. The possibility of Hamilton moving to Ferrari in 2025 was reported in the Italian and Spanish media on Thursday. BBC Sport has since verified the fact that it is a serious possibility. There have been intermittent rumours of Hamilton moving to Ferrari for years. Until now, these have turned out to have little substance, but a number of sources say this is different. Ferrari and Mercedes have refused to comment. Sources have told BBC Sport that all Mercedes team members have been called to a team briefing with boss Toto Wolff and technical director James Allison at 14:00 GMT on Thursday. This is likely to be to announce Hamilton is leaving. Assuming it happens, the move will send shockwaves through F1 - similar to those Hamilton caused when he chose to leave McLaren for Mercedes for the 2013 season. At the time, many questioned Hamilton's decision, but it turned out to be remarkably prescient - he and the team dominated F1 from the 2014 season, making the Briton the most successful driver in F1 history. To the outside world, this will appear a similar gamble, and many will assume that Hamilton has lost confidence in Mercedes' ability to deliver him the eighth world title he so craves after the controversy of Abu Dhabi 2021. The lure of Ferrari, the sport's most historic and evocative team, is strong for many drivers. Until now, Hamilton seemed to be immune to it - he has said on several occasions that he wanted to spend the rest of his life with Mercedes, and the pair have a number of projects together, especially on diversity and racial equality. But it seems the chance to spend the final years of his career driving for Ferrari may be too good to turn down - it is something Hamilton's boyhood idol Ayrton Senna was also planning to do before he was killed in a crash while driving for Williams in the 1994 San Marino Grand Prix. At the end of last season, Hamilton was sounding equivocal about his belief in Mercedes' ability to recover from two difficult seasons and challenge Red Bull. In an interview with BBC Sport and other selected outlets at the final race of the season in Abu Dhabi, he said: "I do believe we have a North Star now. Which I don't think we've had for two years. But still getting there is not a straight line. I think we understand the car so much better. "They have developed great tools in the background. So naturally, I'm hopeful, but I'm not going to hold my breath." Should Hamilton's move be confirmed, it would explode the F1 driver market. Mercedes would be looking for a replacement for Hamilton at the end of the season, Ferrari's Carlos Sainz would be looking for a new job. And other than Fernando Alonso, whose Aston Martin contract expires this season, none of the recognised top drivers would be available to join Mercedes alongside George Russell. Max Verstappen is contracted to Red Bull until 2027, Leclerc is committed to Ferrari and Lando Norris has also just signed a new deal at McLaren. Ferrari have also had a difficult few seasons, and the two teams were locked in a battle for second in the constructors' championship last year, which Mercedes narrowly won despite the Ferrari being the faster car by the end of the season.
Yes I should have added that . If it comes down to mind games , there will only be one winner . I can still see the team failing to really run teammates equally .
Massive news that I did not see coming. Let’s see if all gets confirmed first. Do we read it as: - Merc car this year is not looking good, and therefore chances are better with Ferrari? -Merc car this year is a beast and HAM can sign off with title 8 and then live out a Ferrari dream before heading into the sunset? -Merc development for the 2026 regs are not promising and he’s been tipped off by Ferrari about a possible better project for 2026 there? As for who steps into Mercedes? Only Alonso is good enough to jump straight in IMHO, and his contract with AM works well for that as he’s a free agent in 2025.
Lando must be quite annoyed that he signed a new contract a week before this broke. Otherwise options seem thin on the ground. Alonso will be 44, hiring Sainz would look a lot like taking Ferrari's leftovers. Who else is there? Albon? Early promotion for Antonelli? They really need Russell to step up.
Indeed! This would make me very happy. Now (if this happens) all Ferrari need to do is figure out how not to suck!
There is a report that one of Ferrari's new sponsors Peroni posted an image on Twitter showing their Tifoso 0.0 with an old F1 car with the number 44 on it!! They say the 44 was the number used by Ferrari driver Maurice Trintignant in 1955 but it's a bit of a coincidences!!!!
Not to blow my own trumpet (well actually I am), but I did call the move to Merc way in advance of anybody else. That one worked out, so really hoping this one does too.
