MOTORSPORT: Lewis Hamilton in shock F1 switch to Ferrari
Plus: Shane van Gisbergen locked in for NASCAR Cup, Kostecki Supercars saga continues to unfoldThe motorsport world has been rocked by one of the biggest driver moves in the history of Formula 1, with seven-times world champion Lewis Hamilton announcing that he will be switching from Mercedes-AMG to Ferrari for the 2025 season.
Having raced exclusively with Mercedes power since making his F1 debut in 2007, Hamilton moved from McLaren to the factory-backed team in 2013, where he subsequently claimed six titles in seven years through to 2020.
However, in the latest-generation F1 ruleset, Mercedes has fallen behind Red Bull Racing, with Hamilton going winless over the past two seasons for the first time in his career.
“I have had an amazing 11 years with this team [Mercedes], and I’m so proud of what we have achieved together,” said Hamilton.
“Mercedes has been part of my life since I was 13 years old. It’s a place where I have grown up, so making the decision to leave was one of the hardest decisions I have ever had to make.
“But the time is right for me to take this step, and I’m excited to be taking on a new challenge.
“I will be forever grateful for the incredible support of my Mercedes family, especially Toto [Wolff] for his friendship and leadership, and I want to finish on a high together.”
At Ferrari, Hamilton will pair with Charles Leclerc, with the duo seeking to win the Prancing Horse’s first driver’s title since Kimi Raikkonen in 2007.
The move will displace two-times race winner Carlos Sainz, who is tipped to move to the Audi-backed Sauber squad.
The vacant Mercedes seat has a number of potential candidates, with Alex Albon, Fernando Alonso, Aussie Daniel Ricciardo and Esteban Ocon all in the mix.
SvG’s NASCAR season takes shape as Kostecki saga rolls on
Elsewhere in the motorsport world, three-times Supercars champion Shane van Gisbergen’s NASCAR season has continued to take shape, with confirmation of his seven-race NASCAR Cup Series program with Kaulig Racing, the same squad for which he will campaign the entire second-tier NASCAR Xfinity Series.
Kaulig is an operation on the rise, having won two Cup and 23 Xfinity races since its founding in 2016, with the move to a fully chartered entry ensuring that van Gisbergen will not have to qualify on speed for any of the events.
The locked-in races for SvG include road courses at Circuit of the Americas, the Chicago Street Race and Watkins Glen, plus oval starts at Talladega (both races), Charlotte and Las Vegas.
Meanwhile, back in Australia, the ongoing saga between Brodie Kostecki and the Erebus Motorsport team has continued to evolve, with the reigning Supercars champion appearing to be angling for a drive with a different outfit.
Following vague statements from both Erebus and Supercars, Kostecki’s personal backer, Peter Adderton, took to social media with a scathing takedown of the pair.
“I will not go into why Brodie will not race in 2024 with Erebus; that is his personal decision, and I am sure when he is ready, explain why,” said Adderton.
“The release yesterday did nothing than show me how Supercars and Erebus are looking out for their own self interests ahead of a young driver.
“They know full well what is taking place, and this statement by the Supercars CEO was so disappointing to me and not helpful … this latest attempt by Supercars and Erebus to try to distract fans and media is a new low point.”
Adderton also confirmed that a potential move to NASCAR for Kostecki this year would be for dates that don’t conflict with Supercars events.
Related: MOTORSPORT: Supercars champ Kostecki set to depart Erebus
Related: MOTORSPORT: Our race car of the year
Related: MOTORSPORT: Where to now for Supercars?
Join the conversation at
Or email us at
Or email us at
Please see our Editorial Guidelines & Code of Ethics (including for more information about sponsored content and paid events). The information published on this website is of a general nature only and doesn’t consider your particular circumstances or needs.
