Lewis Hamilton to Ferrari LIVE: Latest updates with F1 star reportedly set to leave Mercedes

Following our post earlier, here’s more from our F1 correspondent, Kieran Jackson, on the potential replacements for Hamilton at Mercedes:

“Continually shining at Williams – where Mercedes have signed their last two drivers from – Albon would represent a promising choice to replace Hamilton.

“Having come through Red Bull’s junior programme, the British-Thai driver was dropped at the end of 2020 after struggling during his 18-month stint as Max Verstappen’s team-mate.

“But following a year in the wilderness in 2021, Albon joined backmarker Williams and is now the team’s unequivocal No 1 driver. The 27-year-old scored 27 points last year as he guided James Vowles’ (Wolff’s former right-hand man at Mercedes) team to seventh in the constructors’ championship.”

“Who has the two-time world champion not driven for, I hear you ask? Well, Mercedes is one such team.

“The 42-year-old was a revelation in his first season for Aston Martin last year, securing eight podiums as he finished fourth in the drivers’ championship.

“Despite his age, the Spaniard shows no signs of retirement just yet and a move to the Silver Arrows could well give him one final, realistic shot at a third world title.”

More potential replacements, here:

Sky Sports pundit and ex-F1 racer Martin Brundle was among the first to react on Twitter/X today.

“I’m so looking forward to this,” said Brundle. “We’ve asked him for years about it and he seemed nailed on at Mercedes for life, and always dismissive of moving.

“Hamilton and Leclerc in scarlet, that’s a story.”

More reaction from figures in the F1 world, here:

Hamilton has been linked with a possible move to Ferrari for years. Here’s him talking about those links in a resurfaced interview:

As Kieran mentions in the article in the post below, Lando Norris extended his deal with McLaren last week – meaning it would take serious money for Mercedes to pry him away, if they want him to replace Hamilton.

More on Norris’s big decision, here:

Our Formula 1 Correspondent, Kieran Jackson, has taken a look at the drivers who could replace Hamilton at Mercedes if today’s news is confirmed…

“A straight-swap deal could be the most obvious move for Mercedes. Sainz was out of contract at Ferrari at the end of this year anyway and may now be looking for a new team for 2025.

“Sainz is a two-time race winner, most recently with a terrific drive in Singapore last year, and has been on the podium 18 times during his nine-year career in F1 so far.

“The 29-year-old may be looking for his fifth team, having previously driven for Toro Rosso, Renault and McLaren prior to Ferrari.”

“Has the Brit showed his hand too soon? The 24-year-old signed a new long-term deal at McLaren last week, taking him beyond 2025 with the papaya and into the next era of regulation changes.

“Yet Norris, who is still searching for his first win in F1, is one of the fastest drivers on the grid and Wolff could well look to land Norris to replace Hamilton – and maintain an all-British feel to the garage.

“That being said, it would take some serious money to do so now.”

More insight into Hamilton’s potential replacements, here:

La Gazzetta dello Sport is reporting that Hamilton’s rumoured move to Ferrari could *even take place ahead of the 2024 season*!

A reminder: Last week, Charles Leclerc extended his Ferrari deal, which was due to run out at the end of this year.

Meanwhile, it is believed that Carlos Sainz’s contract with Ferrari will expire at the end of 2024, and that he has been seeking a two-year extension…

That extension looks a little unlikely, amid today’s news…

Where could Sainz end up, if Hamilton’s move goes ahead? Mercedes? Red Bull, where Sergio Perez is seemingly running out of time?

Ferrari has taken to X, formerly Twitter, to share the following…

Okay, so it’s no announcement… but could it be Hamilton producing that sound in 2025?

Ferrari has added teenager Ollie Bearman to their reserve driver roster ahead of the 2024 F1 season.

Bearman drove for Haas – powered by Ferrari engines – to make his Formula 1 weekend debut in practice last year in Mexico and Abu Dhabi.

The 18-year-old, who hails from Chelmsford in Essex, joined the Ferrari Driver Academy in 2021 and, after impressing in the cockpit last year, will share Ferrari reserve duties this year with Robert Shwartzman and Antonio Giovinazzi.

The memes have already begun…