The news broke from a handful of Italian media outlets on Thursday morning, before gaining momentum. At the end of the day, it became official: Lewis Hamilton, seven-time Formula 1 world champion, will join Ferrari at the end of the 2024 season. After twelve seasons at Mercedes, the 39-year-old British driver will take the seat of Carlos Sainz to become Charles Leclerc’s new teammate.
In England, Lewis Hamilton’s native land, the press is enthusiastic about this transfer “as unexpected as it is seismic” of the “greatest driver in history” to “the most famous and most emblematic team in Formula 1” , in the words of Sky Sports. “He knows how to win races and championships, and it will be very Schumacher-esque if he can go out there and lead the team to many victories and a title fight,” notes former racing driver Martin Brundle, very enthusiastic about the Leclerc-Hamilton duo, a “wonderful combination”.
Brundle also believes that this transfer is likely to revive momentum at both Mercedes and Ferrari, but also to give a boost to the Briton’s career. “I think it’s a great opportunity to motivate Lewis and give him energy for this phase of his career,” he explains, recalling that Lewis Hamilton “hasn’t won a race in two years “.
On the BBC side, we remain cautious about this transfer, described as a “gamble”. Our colleagues point out that Ferrari “has not won a drivers’ world championship title since 2007” and that Lewis Hamilton is aware of the recent mistakes of the Manarello team, notably in 2022 when a succession of “errors operational and reliability problems” cost Charles Leclerc the title. The BBC, however, speaks of a “huge blow” from Ferrari and a “vote of confidence for its new team principal, Frédéric Vasseur”.
In Spain, Marca wonders if this is not “the most important transfer in the history of Formula 1”, and evokes an “earthquake like the arrival of Senna at Williams, of Schumacher at Ferrari or Alonso at McLaren. And our colleagues affirm that “Ferrari is rubbing its hands with everything that Hamilton has brought with it since 2025, its legion of fans around the world, its vegan, musical, ecological and glamorous profile, and above all, a monumental driver .” The Ferrari share price on the stock market has soared.
Finally, in Italy, on the lands of the Scuderia, the Gazzetta dello Sport believes that the Leclerc-Hamilton duo promises “sparks” and “can make fans dream” even if it “will not be easy for Ferrari to manage” . “On the one hand, the most successful driver in F1 history, seeking an eighth title to overtake Michael Schumacher among all-time legends. On the other, the predestined youngster, who grew up in the nursery of the Ferrari Academy and flourished in F1 with red on his body, rejoices the newspaper. Together, they represent a blend of talent, speed, experience and charisma.”
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