Damon🅺 Hill believes that Lewis Hamilton spotted “evidence” of Ferrari’s improvement, convincing him to leave Me꧑rcedes.

Hamilton wil♏l drive for Mercedes for one final season before wearing the famous red of t☂he Scuderia in 2025.

Hamilton is the F1 driver with the most grand prix wins ever, and Ferrari is the mos💞t successful-ever team.

Ex-F1 driver Hill said on the Sky F𝐆1 show: “This decision? We know it’s a given, the Ferrari benefits of the brand, and the history.

“But I thi🦩nk there’s more to this. Which is: I thought there was evi♔dence that Ferrari were starting to solidify as a competitive package.

“They were starting to put together the components🧔, and t🌼hey were starting to get results.

“If you had a choice between Mercede♒s giving you the same equipment, and Ferrari?

“I’𒊎d rather go to Ferrari and try something different.”

Ferrari, last 𒁏season, were the only team to win an F1 grand prix apart from Red Bull. Carl🍎os Sainz won in Singapore.

They also claimed seven pole positions - five through Charles Leclerc and💎 two from Sainz.

Notably, three of Leclerc’s pole positions were 🍎secured at the final five rounds, offering a hint of what might to come for Ferrarඣi.

Karun C🙈handhok said about Hamilton’s decision: “Ultimately he exists to win.

“Leclerc ♏qualified at the front for five grands prix last year.

“I think Fer༺rari have s♈hown their upward trajectory.”

Martin Brundle added: “𝐆Lewis has got to make sure he goes to Ferrari and does a Michael Schumacher, not a Sebastian Vettel or a Fernando Alonso!”

Chandhok replied: “Merced🔯es have changed a lot. James Allison has come back and, reading his interviews, it seemed like he had identified areas of key weakness.

“The car was a bit♉ of a dog? It did finish second in the constructors' championship ahead of Ferrari.

“For me, where it gets interesting - if the James Allison influence comes i🅺n, they have a comprehensive 2024, they beat Ferrari… what’s going on in Lewis’ hജead then?

“Has he made the wrong call?

“He played a blin🌟der in 2012 to leave McLaren and come to Mercedes at the right time.”

Mercedes will launch their W15 on February 14.

They will hope, with Allison’s insight pivotal, that the car represents a huge upgrade on𝓀 the past two seasons.

Hamilton has 🦩not won a grand prix since 2021. George Russell, in 2022 in Brazil, won Mercedes’ sole victory of the past two glum years𓂃.