Lewis Hamilton has described his decision to join Ferrari next season as a chance to open a new chapter in his career after what he called the hardest decision he has ever made.
The British driver also confirmed he only made his mind up at the start of this year having already committed to a new contract with Mercedes.
Hamilton was speaking at length publicly for the first time since on 1 February he announced he would switch to Ferrari in 2025. The seven-time champion was in Bahrain for testing with Mercedes in what will be his last season at the team with whom he has won six drivers’ titles.
In August of last year Hamilton had agreed a new contract with Mercedes for two seasons. However it has since emerged that both parties had an option on the second year and after discussions with Ferrari, Hamilton opted to exercise his exit clause.
In Bahrain he admitted that until the close season he had remained fully committed to staying at Mercedes. “In the summer we signed and at that time I saw my future with Mercedes,” he said.
“But an opportunity came up in the new year and I decided to take it. I feel like it was the hardest decision I have ever had to make.”
Earlier this month the 39-year-old posted on social media that it had been his childhood dream to drive for Ferrari.
He has been with the Mercedes team since 2013 and before that was backed by Mercedes as McLaren’s engine supplier since he was 13.
The success he enjoyed with them between 2014 and 2020 was unprecedented and ensured he has equalled Michael Schumacher’s record of seven championships.
Hamilton acknowledged he had enjoyed a remarkable relationship with Mercedes but that he felt it was time to move on. “They have supported me, and we have had an incredible journey together, created history within the sport and it is something I take a lot of pride in,” he said.
“But ultimately I am writing my story and I felt like it was time to start a new chapter.”
Mercedes have struggled for the past two seasons with their car design flawed and have been off the pace of the dominant Red Bulls.
Hamilton has not won a race since the Saudi Arabian GP in 2021 and last season Mercedes went without a victory for the first time since 2011. They have brought an entirely new concept of car this year but Red Bull look in fearsome form again in Bahrain.
Hamilton nonetheless insisted he would see out his time with Mercedes by giving his all. “This chapter is still not finished and I am still 100% focused on delivering for this team, trying to finish on a high, and that is a big, big goal for me,” he said. “I have absolute faith in everyone in the team in what we have done so far and I hope we are somehow able to close the gap to the Red Bulls.”
On the third and final day of pre-season testing, interrupted for the second day in succession by a loose drain cover at turn 11, Red Bull finished still looking ominously strong for the season, which begins in Bahrain on 2 March.
Max Verstappen had been a second quicker than the rest of the field on day one, and Sergio Pérez second quickest on day two using harder tyres than Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz who headed the timesheets.
On the final day, Charles Leclerc set the pace for Ferrari with Verstappen four-tenths back in fourth but once more was the only driver in the top six using the harder tyres.
George Russell was second for Mercedes, just four-hundredths off Leclerc while using the softer rubber. Given the usual caveats of unknown fuel loads, running plans around testing and that the teams will not show their true hands until qualifying next Friday, Red Bull have emerged once more looking very much the team to beat.
Ferrari have improved with Leclerc in particular far happier with the car than he was at this point last year. McLaren too look to have carried the pace with which they ended 2023 into the new season, while Mercedes have established a strong benchmark with their new design from which there is optimism they too may move closer to Red Bull.
