Lewis Hamilton, the British driver of the Mercedes AMG F1 team, acknowledged that he will need to have discussions with Toto Wolff, head of the Mercedes Formula 1 team, about his upcoming departure from the team at the end of 2024. Despite signing an extension with Mercedes last August, Hamilton chose to activate a termination clause in his contract to negotiate a move to Ferrari next season. This will be the second time Hamilton changes teams, as he previously moved from McLaren to Mercedes, resulting in six titles and 82 race wins. However, unlike his departure from McLaren in 2012, Hamilton will have to complete a full season with Mercedes before moving to Maranello. The decision to announce the news before the start of the current season was made by Wolff in response to rumors that had leaked in the Italian media. While Mercedes focuses on the future and prepares for 2025, Hamilton admitted that he will have discussions with Wolff later in the season. He acknowledges that he will need guidance as he navigates this new situation, as he has never been in this position at this point in the year before. When he left McLaren, it was at the end of the season, and he only joined Mercedes in December. Hamilton’s current season has been his worst start to a season in F1, while Ferrari has achieved podiums in every race and currently sits in second place, 86 points ahead of Mercedes. Despite this, Hamilton’s main focus remains on helping Mercedes recover rather than anticipating the resurgence of his future team. He is determined to finish strong with Mercedes and is channeling all his energy into figuring out how to bring the team back to the top. He sees himself as a competitor who wants to win, and thinking about next year will not contribute to that goal.
