With his move from Mercedes to Ferrari, Lewis Hamilton sent the Formula 1 world into turmoil. The international press also reacted with surprise.
It is probably the biggest driver change in Formula 1 for years: Lewis Hamilton is leaving the Mercedes team after more than eleven years and will compete for Ferrari from 2025. This ends an extremely successful partnership that brought Hamilton himself six world championship titles.
After he had already won his first world title in a McLaren before switching to Mercedes, Hamilton will now be hunting for his eighth title in total in a red racing suit, which would make him the sole record holder ahead of Michael Schumacher. He will also have to prevail against his young and talented teammate Charles Leclerc, who has been driving for Scuderia since 2019 and wants to win his first world title. The press in England and Italy reacted to the change with corresponding surprise. The press reviews:
Italy
Corriere dello Sport: “Ferrari is placing its future in the hands of Hamilton, a true icon of motorsport. Hamilton has relied on the unilateral termination of his contract in order to open a new chapter in his career.”
Tuttosport: “Hamilton and Ferrari are becoming a dream duo. Maranello wants to tie the English driver to them with a multi-year contract and initiate a new successful phase.”
The Republic: “Leclerc faces tough competition. With Hamilton in the team, the fight for the top position will become even more delicate.”
The Giornale: “From the first day of February, the F1 driver market went up in flames. Exactly seven days after announcing Charles Leclerc’s multi-year contract extension, Ferrari announces that Hamilton will sign with Scuderia next year, replacing Carlos Sainz, whose contract expires on expires at the end of the World Cup.”
England
Guardian: “The seven-time world champion’s decision to leave Mercedes will be remembered as a key moment in the final chapter of his Formula 1 legacy.”
Daily Mail: “Lewis Hamilton shocked the sporting world with his surprise move from Mercedes to rival Ferrari.”
Mirror: “Formula 1 seems to have stolen the show from football on Deadline Day. Certainly no transfer in the football world will be as big as the news that Lewis Hamilton is leaving Mercedes.”