As the calendar flipped to 2025, one of the biggest stories in Formula 1 became official—Lewis Hamilton is now a Ferrari driver.

The seven-time world champion, whose contract with Mercedes ended on December 31, 2024, begins a fresh chapter with the iconic Italian team, stepping into the legendary red suit to partner Charles Leclerc.

Hamilton’s decision to leave Mercedes was announced nearly a year ago, on February 1, 2024, after he triggered a break clause in the two-year contract he had signed in 2023, paving the way for his departure after the 2024 season.

It was a shocking moment for not only fans but also Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff and the whole team, where Hamilton spent over a decade rewriting the record books, winning six world championships, and leading the German manufacturer through one of F1’s most dominant periods.

Now Mercedes has placed its future in the hands of rookie Andrea Kimi Antonelli, who steps into one of the most coveted seats in motorsport and becomes the first to debut for Mercedes in the world championship since Karl Kling in 1954. George Russell will take on the mantle of team leader as they work to maintain their place at the top.

For Hamilton, Ferrari presents a fresh challenge and an opportunity to further solidify his legacy, as it marks the first time in his career he'll race a non-Mercedes-powered car, following his stints with McLaren and Mercedes. While the new Ferrari will be unveiled on February 19, he is expected to get his first run in the 2023 car at Fiorano, Ferrari’s test track, in the coming weeks.  

This move also reunites the Briton with Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur, who worked with him during his GP2 (now Formula 2) championship-winning season in 2006.