Lewis Hamilton has said his final goodbyes to Mercedes as he prepares to embark on the next stage of his Formula 1 career.
Bringing an end to the most successful partnership in the history of F1 wouldn’t have been an easy decision for Hamilton.
The 39-year-old won six Drivers’ Championships and a further eight Constructors’ titles during his time with Mercedes.
They were an unstoppable force, however, the latest generation of cars has seen that momentum shift towards Max Verstappen and Red Bull, although they were finally toppled by McLaren this year.
Team principal Toto Wolff only agreed to a shortened contract for Hamilton and the break clause included allowed him to make the jump to Ferrari for 2025 when the opportunity presented itself.
However, it’s been one of the toughest seasons in his career, finishing outside of the top six in the championship for the very first time.
Ralf Schumacher explains how Lewis Hamilton could walk away from Ferrari early
Hamilton has agreed a bumper contract with Ferrari that initially runs until the end of the 2026 season.
There will be options on both sides to extend that deal if things are going well, and will give Hamilton a chance to drive their next-generation car in 2026 when he’ll know how good his chances are of adding to his collection of world championships.
Ralf Schumacher was speaking to Sport1 and shared why he thinks there’s a risk Hamilton may not even make it that far into his time at Ferrari.
Asked if there’s a risk that Hamilton won’t fulfil the first two years of his contract, Schumacher said: “The danger is there if everything goes negatively.
“I think that if Lewis realises that he is no longer living up to his own expectations, he will say so.”
READ MORE: Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton’s life outside F1 from net worth to family
Peter Windsor is unsure Ferrari considered every scenario when signing Hamilton, but the pros far outweigh the cons.
A fully focused and determined Hamilton is nearly impossible to beat when he’s in the right car which early signs suggest he might have when he arrives at Maranello.
Team principal Frederic Vasseur will be pleased with the progress Ferrari made in 2024, but will know they’ve still got some potential to unlock going into next year.
Ralf Schumacher addresses how the Italian press might treat Lewis Hamilton at Ferrari
Schumacher will know better than most people what the Italian press is like when it comes to Ferrari’s drivers.
He would have seen how his brother Michael was treated through the tough times at the beginning of his spell with the Scuderia – and more importantly how his teammates were treated – as well as when he won five championships on the bounce.
Asked how long Hamilton will be protected by the Italian media, Schumacher said: “The expectations are high, and so are the emotions. You won’t have patience for more than six months if things aren’t going well.
READ MORE: All you need to know about Scuderia Ferrari from team principal to factory
“He’s not used to the pressure from outside. In Italy, the clocks tick a little differently.
“Even in Michael’s time, they wanted to fire Jean Todt when the successes took too long.
“Michael prevented that and it ended up being a happy ending. Unfortunately, I doubt that will happen with Lewis.
“But maybe he’ll be lucky and the car will suit him. Then everything could turn out very well. But I have my doubts.”
Hamilton will be desperate for his first run in a Ferrari but was denied that opportunity during post-season testing.
A TPC [testing of previous cars] run at Fiorano ahead of pre-season testing is likely to be his first taste of life as a Ferrari driver.
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