Hamilton will join Ferrari in 2025, who will replace him at Mercedes ?

The Briton, seven times Formula 1 world champion, will leave Mercedes & at the end of the year to join Scuderia Ferrari and…Charles Leclerc.

It's a real bombshell that's shaking the Formula 1 paddock on February 1. Lewis Hamilton, 39 years old since last month, will drive a Ferrari at the age of 39. from the 2025 season. The leader of Mercedes since 2013, the team with which he obtained six of his seven world championship titles – and 82 Grand Prix victories -, will leave the German firm which offered him a new contract last August. This, lasting one year plus one optional, left him an exit in 2025 in which the Briton therefore found himself. ;egrave;s quickly engulfed.

The rumor of an arrival of Lewis Hamilton on the side' of Maranello, the historic headquarters of the Italian manufacturer, was born last spring but its extension with the Silver Arrows during the & ;eacute;té seemed to have extinguished it. However, since very early this Thursday morning, information was circulating about the probable signing of the illustrious number 44 at Ferrari. News confirmed in the middle of the afternoon during a team meeting during which the boss of the team #39;éteam, Toto Wolff, informedé employees, by telephone since he is currently at the office. abroad, of the upcoming departure of one of the greatest drivers in the history of F1. Lewis Hamilton, third in the world championship last year, will therefore compete in one final season, the 12th, at the wheel of # 39;a Mercedes à starting next month (the first Grand Prix, in Bahrain, is scheduled for Saturday March 2). It will then be time to join Ferrari, the third team of his career since he made his debut in 2007 at McLaren.< /p>

In Italy, ''King Lewis'' will pair up with Charles Leclerc. The Monegasque has just extended his contract by five years, which links him with the Scuderia until 2029, even if he will be able to He decides to leave in 2027 if he judges his car not competitive enough. The arrival of Lewis Hamilton now raises the question of who will succeed him in the Mercedes seat next year. And there, the possibilities are numerous.

If by then Sergio Perez will probably no longer be in the side of Max Verstappen at Red Bull, if Carlos Sainz will therefore have to find a new team after having his place stolen by Hamilton, the possibility to see the Frenchman Esteban Ocon arrive in Germany exists. The 27-year-old Norman was a Mercedes reserve driver in 2019 before being established as a Mercedes driver. at Renault then Alpine. Esteban Ocon knows the house well and left it to its guests. good memories to the leaders.

But Mercedes could also be tempted! to launch a young driver on the sideé by George Russell. In this case, the track leading à The Italian Andrea Kimi Antonelli, member of the Mercedes Junior Team, is & monitor closely. The Bolognese will discover F2 this season. only 17 years old and the small world of Formula 1 will scrutinize his performances very closely. Mercedes in particular.