multi21

I'm reading that British press speculating that Fernando Alonso could be the replacement at Mercedes in 2025... now that would be spicy!

multi21

UPDATE: Ferrari stock still climbing up nearly 12% or $8 billion in market cap since announcement and still climbing.

tgibrit

LEC definitely has the speed but is inconsistent / error prone, I too would back HAM over the course of a season.

Nowanker

At last, something new and interesting to discuss in the F1 world!
Hammy's enjoyed a long and stable relationship with Bono as his engineer. But he still melts down during the race over their German-logical strategy calls.
He's gonna **** his pants with all the Italian-illogical ones Ferrari makes.

Will he play nice with LeClerc? Or will it turn into an Alonso style cat fight?
LeClerc is well established within the team, and no slouch on the track. At least during quali...
I can hear the whining already.

Maybe it's all just bullsh*t, and he's planning to retire at the end of this year anyway.

MSR Racer

Speculative but makes a lot of sense

rsabeebe

wow. seems like i missed a lot yesterday and today. initial reaction on the hamilton switch - no way this happens! some of the comments about the marketing value aspect of this certainly does make sense. hamilton will never surpass schumi by going to ferrari. ferrari has been so dysfunctional for so many years now, it's hard to understand how bringing hamilton in will remedy any of that. the big paycheck, the twilight ferrari seat to end his career - that all makes much more sense.

i think putting hamilton next to leclerc would be a ****ing disaster. i think we'd have alonso/hamilton all over again. i can't see a scenario where two drivers, who will both think they're #1, works out well. and, if anyone thinks hamilton will go there and accept the secondary role is kidding themselves. his ego is way too big to be considered anything less than equal to leclerc. how many WDC does leclerc have again? oh yeah, none.

last, if this were going to happen, this seems like an odd time for all this to come out. i can't imagine the mindset inside mercedes knowing that hamilton is jumping ship for ferrari at the end of the season. there will be so much that they don't want hamilton to know about the later improvements in 2024 and what the 2025 car might be. this whole thing seems unrealistic to me, but i've been wrong before.

thebishman

Just read the article.

2 things:

If Lewis knows/believes the Mercedes car in ‘24 and ‘25 will be ****e, and if Ferrari wants to pay him huge money and he wants to leave F1 after a big paycheck, then yes, it makes sense.

But IF the MB is a great car in ‘24 and by extension ’25, then it will cost him a chance at that 8th WDC as if there’s any team that can screw up a great season with a great car, it’s Ferrari.

A huge mistake imho.

Carlo_Carrera

All I am going to say is that one way or another this will be very entertaining.

StoogeMoe

ipse dixit

Both (MJ and HAM) are/were washed up superstars that dominated in their respective sports then signing on with a once-proud franchise (Wizards nee Bullets, and Ferrari, which hasn't been relevant in terms of podiums since, well, Kimi)

multi21

Lewis knew that the split turbo engine design Mercedes came up with over 10 years ago was going to be a game changer and therefore unexpectedly left McLaren. This move tells me that despite all the talk by Toto and George Russell that the 2024 car will be much improved and they know where they went wrong with the 2023 car is rubbish - he would never have left as you say given the genuine opportunity to get an 8th WDC.

What hasn't been discussed is the length of the contract, only the start date. Will HAM be with Ferrari in 2026 for the new formula? Does Ferrari have something up their sleeves with regard to the new regs, which BTW, haven't been finalized yet?

gbuff

I don't know Lewis personally (!) but I am a fan. Personally I think that presently he's got so many other things going on in his life that he really doesn't give a sh*t about another WDC, Schumi or not. He already has SEVEN. Sure, he's going to give it his best shot and if the car is a blinder, so much the better. But I don't think he's consumed by it. He's going to get paid regardless.

And remember, this is not for this year but for 2025. A lot can happen between now and than and he'll be, what, 41? Not everybody is Alonso, I could see HIM still on fire at 50.

rsabeebe

reading up a bit more on the news of hamilton, it seems as though it has already been announced in a Merc meeting today with Toto. did this happen because hamilton already knows that the Merc for 2024 is a piece of ****? i would have to think that's the case. if so, 2024 might be a totally dominated season by RBR again and championship #4 for Max. i guess the question is, can McLaren step up against RBR now? otherwise, 2024 might be a snooze.

multi21

in another post you asked why now, as far as timing. Despite the fact HAM had signed a 2 year contract with Mercedes to the end of 2025, he had an escape clause in his contract to leave after 2024 and today was the last day to exercise said clause.

wildcat077

Hamilton worked with Fred Vasseur in his GP3 days with Team Art , in my opinion Vasseur will make Ferrari credible again as compared to the
last two misfits who led the team and it should be interesting to see the outcome with Hamilton and Leclerc … as much as i didn't like Hamilton he still won 7 championships !
I might start wearing my Ferrari jersey again in 2025 … as of now i still wear my McLaren or Fernando ones during the races !

Cheers
Phil

*** Just out , Mercedes confirmed in a press release that Hamilton will not stay for his option year and will leave for Ferrari