Ferrari 'courting' Lewis Hamilton for 'many months', John Elkann the 'driving force'
Ferrari had been interested in signing Lewis Hamilton for "some months", with their presiไdent John Elkann the pushing the deal.
Ferrari president John Elkann has been the “driving force” behind them signing 168澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果历史:Lewis Hamilton from Mercedes for the 2025 F1 season.
Hamilton will team up with 168澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果历史:Charles Leclerc for 20ꦛ25, bringing an end to his long-term alliance with Mercedꦐes.
Since being in F1, Hami🔯lton has only driven for Mercedes-powered teams - McLaren between 2007 and 2012, and 🦂Mercedes since 2013.
It’s a seismic move for the sport which sees its most successful driver in Hamilton joining the most successful constr♎uctor in Ferrari.
Hamilton signed a new two-year dea꧋l with Mercedes in the middle of 2023, seemingly putting an end to speculation over his future.
But now it is confꦛirmed that he will wear red next year.
As revealed by Sky Sports F1 reporter Craig Slater, the current Ferrari p♛resident has been a ma༺jor factor in bringing Hamilton to Maranello after ‘courting’ him for ‘some months’.
“My understanding is that this courtship [between Ferrari and Hamilton] has been going on for some months,” Slater said. It’s not a sudden thing. John Elkann, the president and a very heavy-hitter, is very much at the centre of it💝 and the driving force.
“Team principal Fred Vasseur is someone Lewis knows from the ☂ju🐈nior days so there’s no friction there.
“It’s♏ not like the chairman has signed someone over the manager’s back, that you sometimes get in football! This isn’t like that.”
Slater believꦬes going up Leclerc will be a “big challenge” for Hamilton꧋ - but not one he’s unfamiliar with.
“This is typical of Lewis Hamilton, I have to say. Never been afraid of a challenge,” he added. “He comes into F1 with Fernand♕o Alonso as his𝕴 teammate and gets a result against him.
“He changes teams to an upstart team who hadn’t done very much, Mercedes, and goes up against Nico Rosberg, a fine operator, and gets the better of him. Happy to take on G🐈eorge Russell, one of the best of the young prospects in F1. And now this! Joining Ferrari where Lecler⭕c is ensconced there.
“Clearly, Ferrari identified him as their priority, and that’s🍸 why they signed him up rather than Carlos Sainz. He is managed by Nicolas Todt, the son of Jean T✱odt the legendary Ferrari team principal.
“So Lewis? This is a big challenge for him. He will be 40, going up against one of the quickest young drivers in the world. It would be a great💎 scalp for Leclerc to take, if he could out-score him over a year.”
With a sharp eye for F1’s conܫtroversies and storylines, Connor is the heartbeat of our unb♑iased reporting.
