Lewis Hamilton’s reputation may not be as untouchable as it was in 2020, when he claimed his record-equalling seventh world championship, yet Scuderia Ferrari’s decision to drop Carlos Sainz at the end of the 2024 Formula 1 campaign in favor of him speaks volumes.
Carlos Sainz, entering the final year of his contract, would typically have been a safe bet to retain his seat. He had proven himself a multiple race-winner capable of beating Charles Leclerc on his best days and consistently staying competitive.
However, this wasn’t a typical situation. The sport’s most decorated driver, Lewis Hamilton, had become available. His decision to leave Mercedes appeared to stem from a desire for a fresh challenge and a career-long dream of racing for Ferrari.
Lewis Hamilton had been promised by Mercedes that the ground-effect era would bring championship-contending cars, but those assurances failed to materialize, seemingly eroding his trust in the team’s future direction.
Other options for Lewis Hamilton were limited. While Red Bull had a vacancy alongside Sergio Perez, pairing him with Max Verstappen was practically unthinkable after their fierce 2021 rivalry. Similarly, McLaren, fresh off their Constructors’ Championship triumph, was firmly committed to Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri.
This left Ferrari as the only viable alternative. Hamilton had harbored aspirations of driving for the iconic Scuderia since 2004, and at 39 years old, both he and the team were finally ready to make it a reality.
Hamilton’s Ferrari Move Not Unexpected, Says Former Mercedes Colleague
Mercedes race team coordinator Stephen Lord, speaking on the *Beyond the Grid* podcast, revealed he wasn’t surprised by Lewis Hamilton’s move to Ferrari. Lord recalled a conversation from years earlier in which Hamilton admitted that every driver understands the allure of driving for the legendary red team.
Lewis Hamilton’s move mirrors the journeys of rivals like Sebastian Vettel and Fernando Alonso, who also left championship-winning teams to chase glory with Ferrari. For Hamilton, this transition represents a chance to fulfill an unfulfilled ambition.
Yet Stephen Lord had once envisioned a different path for Hamilton, believing the British driver might one day return to McLaren. With McLaren ending a 26-year wait for a Constructors’ Championship, the prospect seemed plausible. However, team boss Zak Brown remains steadfast in his commitment to Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri, making the Ferrari switch of the seven-time Formula 1 world champion the most realistic choice.
“I think that’s been his plan all along [joining Ferrari],” Lord said. “A few years ago, it came up in conversation. I actually always thought he might be tempted back to McLaren, but I was completely wrong. He always said that he felt most drivers had a desire to, at some point in their career, drive for Ferrari. I wasn’t surprised at all. We can see through the history of the sport there is a desire amongst great drivers to go to Ferrari and win world championships there.” – Stephen Lord pointed out – “Fernando did it, Seb did it. I think that will always remain. They’re the oldest, most recognisable team in the pit lane. The history and the esteem that that market’s held in, I think it’s inevitable that people would want to go there.” – he continued.
Lewis Hamilton Reflects on Leaving McLaren and the Possibility of Returning
Lewis Hamilton’s Formula 1 journey began with McLaren, where he rose through the ranks of their driver academy to clinch his first World Championship in 2008. He spent six years with the Woking-based team, four of them as a Formula 1 driver, before making a surprise switch to Mercedes in 2013—a decision that would ultimately redefine his career.
Looking back, the British driver expressed regret over the way he handled his departure from McLaren, admitting he avoided delivering the news in person. He later vowed to correct this approach when leaving any future teams, ensuring open and direct communication.
Despite the awkward exit, Hamilton has maintained a positive relationship with his former team. He publicly congratulated McLaren on their recent Constructors’ Championship win in Abu Dhabi, demonstrating a continued respect for the team that launched his career.
In an interview shortly after leaving McLaren in 2012, Lewis Hamilton was asked about the prospect of returning one day. His response was characteristically open-ended: “Never say never.” While he acknowledged McLaren as his “home” in Formula 1 and admitted that a reunion would be “nice,” such a scenario now appears increasingly improbable given the evolution of both his career and the team’s direction.
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