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LEWIS HAMILTON is on the verge of completing a sensational switch to Ferrari in a desperate last bid to win a record eighth world championship.
The 39-year-old is poised to join the Italian team for the 2025 season – despite agreeing a two-year deal with Mercedes last season.
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SplashF1 insiders believe the deal could be completed within the next 24 hours in a bombshell move that would see the Brit partner Charles Leclerc.
Mercedes are yet to officially confirm Hamilton’s departure, but SunSport understands that staff were told of his exit in a ten-minute meeting today.
Hamilton has been linked with a switch to F1’s most famous team for a number of seasons but has always pledged his loyalty to Mercedes and their boss Toto Wolff.
Wolff and the team’s designer, James Allison, have both recently agreed extensions to their contracts with Mercedes in what is now being viewed as a final throw of the dice to convince him to stay on.
However, SunSport understands that Hamilton will activate a break clause in his contract which will allow him to leave Mercedes at the end of this season.
Hamilton has been without a win since December 2021 – the same season he lost the title to Red Bull’s Max Verstappen.
Since then, Mercedes have delivered two dud cars that have been plagued by problems, meaning he has been unable to fight for wins – and titles.
Ferrari chairman John Elkann has been a long-term admirer of Hamilton’s talent and the two have held talks in the past.
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WHO COULD REPLACE HAMILTON AT MERCEDES?
Mercedes will have a vacant seat for 2025.
Here, SunSport’s F1 correspondent Ben Hunt looks at FIVE potential candidates who could replace him and partner George Russell in the Silver Arrows.
Oscar Piastri – McLaren have sewn up Lando Norris to a new long-term contract that should (in theory) put him out of Mercedes’ reach. However, they are yet to tie down his teammate Piastri, 22. The Aussie has an excellent record and won the Formula 3 and Formula 2 titles before spending a year on the sidelines with Alpine and getting his chance in F1 with McLaren. He impressed on his debut season last year and has the potential to be a world champion.
Daniel Ricciardo – The experienced driver’s future remains in doubt as he bides his time at Red Bull’s B-team. Ricciardo would be low-hassle and offer some stability but by that time he would be 35. It seems unlikely that they would opt for him at this point in his career, but if he has a good season this year, he could come into the reckoning.
Kimi Antonelli – You may not have heard of the Italian, but he is mustard. Still only 17, he has won at all the junior categories and has been part of the Mercedes young driver programme since 2019. This season he has been promoted from F4 to F2, where he has been tipped to shine. A good debut season in F2 could sway Mercedes into taking a risk on him for 2025. Antonelli and his family are close to Mercedes boss Toto Wolff.
Mick Schumacher – Wolff has always been so incredibly supportive of Schumacher and spoken highly of him, that you’d at least expect him to come into consideration. He knows the team from his role as reserve driver and consequently would get up to speed. But speed is also the problem. He was shocking at Haas and if he really was THAT good, he’d still be driving in F1.
Alex Albon – A more-sensible choice would be the London-born Albon. A great guy who is also very quick. He has a fantastic relationship with Russell and would be the low-maintenance quick partnership similar to Hamilton and Valtteri Bottas that swept to successive titles. Albon would take little convincing to join from Williams and Mercedes would not need to pay him half of the £50million they were dishing out to Hamilton.
It was reported at the time that Ferrari would offer him around £40million a year and it’s likely he would earn in that region.
Hamilton’s move would make sense as he would offer Ferrari their chance to fight for championships.
He has also worked with Ferrari boss Frederic Vasseur in the past when he drove for his ART Grand Prix squad in GP2.
The move would mean that Carlos Sainz would be out of a seat – although he has been heavily linked with a switch to the new Audi team, who will takeover at Sauber.
Meanwhile, Mercedes would need to find a replacement for Hamilton.
The deal will see Hamilton remain with the Silver Arrows until the end of 2024, which could make for an awkward season ahead.
Upon signing his new deal last summer, Hamilton said: “We have never been hungrier to win. We have learnt from every success but also every setback.
“We continue to chase our dreams; we continue to fight no matter the challenge and we will win again. I’m grateful to the team who have supported me both on and off the track.
“Our story isn’t finished, we are determined to achieve more together and we won’t stop until we do.”
Hamilton’s Mercedes team-mate George Russell is also under contract until the end of 2025.
While Mick Schumacher served as the Silver Arrows’ reserve driver last season.
Earlier this week, Hamilton admitted to having a “love-hate” relationship with Formula 1 and even hinted that he could retire in the next 12 months.
Addressing his previous assertion several years ago that he would not still be in the sport at 40, he told Formule1.nl : “That is still possible.
“I have no set plan for the future – I still feel fit and still enjoy what I do.
“I’ve now learned that you should never say never in life.
“I never thought that, after such a long time in Formula One, I would still feel the same love for the sport.
“It is a love-hate relationship – at times you love it more than at others.
“I think there comes a point when you’ve had enough. But the love is still there.”
Complete F1 2024 race calendar – details on every Grand Prix and start time this year
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