LEWIS HAMILTON POISED TO SPONSOR FERRARI F1 IN 2025

Lewis Hamilton is poised to sponsor Ferrari

Lewis Hamilton is poised to sponsor Ferrari from the 2025 Formula 1 campaign through his Almave brand, according to a report.

Hamilton’s highly lauded move to Ferrari in 2025 set the F1 circus alight when it was announced on the eve of the 2024 campaign.

The match-up of F1’s statistically most successful driver and team is a mouth-watering prospect from not only a performance perspective but a brand one.

Hamilton’s commercial appeal is huge, as is his growing investment portfolio with Joe Saward reporting as such.

In the latest edition of Saward’s Green Notebook, he writes of a paddock rumour involving Hamilton’s non-alcoholic tequila brand Almave and Ferrari.

“The word is that Almave might be signed as a Ferrari sponsor next year,” Saward wrote, in light of Hamilton’s brand being acquired by French “giant” Pernod Ricard.

Hamilton, Almave and Ferrari

Hamilton, in collaboration with Mexican distillery Casa Lumbre, welcomed Pernod Ricard to Almave in August.

Home Single Seater Formula 1

Lewis Hamilton poised to sponsor Ferrari F1 in 2025 – report

by Dan Lawrence 20 hours ago

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Lewis Hamilton is poised to sponsor Ferrari

Lewis Hamilton is poised to sponsor Ferrari from the 2025 Formula 1 campaign through his Almave brand, according to a report.

Hamilton’s highly lauded move to Ferrari in 2025 set the F1 circus alight when it was announced on the eve of the 2024 campaign.

The match-up of F1’s statistically most successful driver and team is a mouth-watering prospect from not only a performance perspective but a brand one.

Hamilton’s commercial appeal is huge, as is his growing investment portfolio with Joe Saward reporting as such.

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In the latest edition of Saward’s Green Notebook, he writes of a paddock rumour involving Hamilton’s non-alcoholic tequila brand Almave and Ferrari.

“The word is that Almave might be signed as a Ferrari sponsor next year,” Saward wrote, in light of Hamilton’s brand being acquired by French “giant” Pernod Ricard.

Almave could be seen among Ferrari’s growing list of brand partners in 2025

Hamilton, Almave and Ferrari

Hamilton, in collaboration with Mexican distillery Casa Lumbre, welcomed Pernod Ricard to Almave in August.

The purpose of the partnership is to scale up the Almave brand with global marketing synergies.

With F1 one of the highest-growing global sports, Hamilton its most recognised star and Ferrari its most recognised team, having Almave on the side of the scarlet Scuderia machines is a logical step.

After the Pernod Ricard agreement was made, Hamilton said: “When I decided to embark on this project it was important to me to find partners who could help me realise my vision without compromise.

“I am proud we were able to do that, not just in quality and taste but also with real ingredients and time-honoured techniques.

Home Single Seater Formula 1

Lewis Hamilton poised to sponsor Ferrari F1 in 2025 – report

by Dan Lawrence 20 hours ago

A A

Lewis Hamilton is poised to sponsor Ferrari

Lewis Hamilton is poised to sponsor Ferrari from the 2025 Formula 1 campaign through his Almave brand, according to a report.

Hamilton’s highly lauded move to Ferrari in 2025 set the F1 circus alight when it was announced on the eve of the 2024 campaign.

The match-up of F1’s statistically most successful driver and team is a mouth-watering prospect from not only a performance perspective but a brand one.

Hamilton’s commercial appeal is huge, as is his growing investment portfolio with Joe Saward reporting as such.

RelatedPosts

Lewis Hamilton would be an eight-time champion under Charlie Whiting – Guenther Steiner

 10 HOURS AGO

Renault to cease work on F1 engine plans as Alpine prepares for customer switch

 14 HOURS AGO

In the latest edition of Saward’s Green Notebook, he writes of a paddock rumour involving Hamilton’s non-alcoholic tequila brand Almave and Ferrari.

“The word is that Almave might be signed as a Ferrari sponsor next year,” Saward wrote, in light of Hamilton’s brand being acquired by French “giant” Pernod Ricard.

Almave could be seen among Ferrari’s growing list of brand partners in 2025

Hamilton, Almave and Ferrari

Hamilton, in collaboration with Mexican distillery Casa Lumbre, welcomed Pernod Ricard to Almave in August.

The purpose of the partnership is to scale up the Almave brand with global marketing synergies.

With F1 one of the highest-growing global sports, Hamilton its most recognised star and Ferrari its most recognised team, having Almave on the side of the scarlet Scuderia machines is a logical step.

After the Pernod Ricard agreement was made, Hamilton said: “When I decided to embark on this project it was important to me to find partners who could help me realise my vision without compromise.

“I am proud we were able to do that, not just in quality and taste but also with real ingredients and time-honoured techniques.

“Casa Lumbre has been best-in-class in the first part of this journey and I’m proud of what we have achieved together in such a [short] period of time.

“It’s exciting that Pernod Ricard has, today, become an official stakeholder in Almave; allowing us to unleash the potential of the next stage of our journey, and help take Almave to even more people around the world.”

Ferrari, meanwhile, has already bolstered its extensive brand portfolio in 2024.

The Italian giant kickstarted the year with an exciting Peroni partnership and has since signed a title deal with HP, lauded as one of the biggest commercial deals in the sport.

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LEWIS HAMILTON TOLD HE IS 'PLAYING WITH FIRE' AFTER FERNANDO ALONSO JIBE

Lewis Hamilton and Fernando Alonso were back at it with the light-hearted digs in Canada, but 1996 F1 champ Damon Hill feels Hamilton should be careful poking that particular bear with talk of age.

The former team-mates treated us to a fresh on-track battle at the Canadian Grand Prix, Alonso left with an overtake to make in his Aston Martin after losing P2 at the start to Mercedes’ Hamilton.

Alonso ultimately got the move done, going on to claim a P2 finish with Hamilton crossing the line four-and-a-half seconds behind.

TIMO GLOCK URGES FERRARI TO 'INTERVENE' INTO CHARLES LECLERC AND LEWIS HAMILTON'S BATTLES

Photo by Mark Sutton - Formula 1/Formula 1 via Getty Images

Timo Glock believes Ferrari need to take action to ensure Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton don’t cost each other in future races.

After Charles Leclerc managed to secure P3 at the Japanese Grand Prix, an irate Lewis Hamilton demanded an explanation as to why he experienced power issues that Leclerc didn’t.

Lewis Hamilton wasn’t the only one unhappy with Ferrari, as Leclerc wanted to see massive improvement in the SF-26 over the five-week hiatus this season.

However, within the team, there isn’t much concern about the two drivers battling, as Fred Vasseur welcomed some intra-team competition

But former F1 driver Timo Glock believes this approach to the internal issues is a dangerous one from Ferrari, as the two competitive drivers will eventually cause friction.

hoto by Artur Widak/NurPhoto via Getty Images

Timo Glock says Ferrari must avoid Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton-based ‘disadvantage’

Speaking to Sky Sports Germany, Timo Glock addressed the battle between Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton during the Japanese Grand Prix.

He believes that the two drivers are bound to be in a position where they’re fighting each other for a potential podium, they will lose places and cost the team points.

“The limit must be clearly there if the team finds itself at a disadvantage. If the two are fighting at the front, getting in each other’s way, and losing places as a result, then the team has to intervene somewhere.”

“Charles Leclerc is still a bit more consistent, but Lewis Hamilton is definitely back where we all want to see him – with confidence and fun racing.”

While Ferrari didn’t admonish either driver for their battle after the race, Hamilton possibly getting a new race engineer ahead of the Miami Grand Prix is a sign that they’re addressing the matter internally.

Lewis Hamilton wants Ferrari power issues ‘addressed’ ahead of Miami Grand Prix

Speaking after the race at Suzuka, Lewis Hamilton questioned how, despite following Ferrari’s instructions, he suffered from power issues.

“Pretty bad in the end, because I was on P3 and in the end, I ended up on P6. I just have to understand where we lost power, especially in the second stint.”

“I don’t quite understand that. I’m all on the gas, managing where they tell me to manage it. Today, some performance was simply missing, so yes, there are still some points to be addressed.”

There will be a lot of work to do for the staff at Maranello over the next few weeks, as Ferrari look to close the gap between themselves and Mercedes.

These potential upgrades could make a world of difference for both Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc in their quest to compete for the world championship.

Photo by Clive Mason/Getty Images

- Aaditya Krishnamurthy

TED KRAVITZ SAY'S FERRARI'S STANCE ON REPLACING LEWIS HAMILTON IS NOW 'ABSOLUTELY CLEAR'

Photo by Kym Illman/Getty Images

Lewis Hamilton hasn’t met Ferrari’s expectations since he joined the team at the start of 2025. While Hamilton may be the most successful driver ever, he has statistically been a downgrade on predecessor Carlos Sainz.

Hamilton has broken an unwanted Ferrari record by failing to score a podium. Last weekend’s Brazilian GP was his 21st missed opportunity.

The 40-year-old is only one place behind Charles Leclerc in the standings, but the gap has grown to 66 points. Leclerc is leading Hamilton 16-5 in qualifying and 15-3 in the races when both are classified.

Hamilton has also failed to reach Q3 six times this season, or eight times including Sprints. All of this has fed growing doubt over his Ferrari future.

Ted Kravitz is certain that Oliver Bearman will ‘eventually replace’ Lewis Hamilton

Speaking on Sky Sports’ F1 Show, Ted Kravitz sounded certain that Haas driver Oliver Bearman will succeed Hamilton. He thinks it’s just a question of when.

Haas say Bearman isn’t available until 2027, and Kravitz still expects Ferrari to honour Hamilton’s contract. Leclerc replaced the veteran Kimi Raikkonen in 2019 after spending his rookie year with engine customers Alfa Romeo Sauber.

Ferrari have also been linked with Oscar Piastri, and it’s said that Sainz would be open to leaving Williams if his former team approached him, but Kravitz can only see one outcome.

“It’s clear as night follows day that Ollie Bearman will eventually replace Lewis Hamilton at Ferrari,” he said. “I think that’s absolutely clear.

“Whether Charles Leclerc will stay there or not long-term is a completely separate subject.

“It’s the Ferrari way – they did it with Charles Leclerc – to farm out their juniors to a Sauber, or to Haas, or to an engine customer, and then bring them in-house.

“Haas insist that they’ve got Bearman nailed down for ’26, so I think Ferrari will let it play out with Hamilton, get to the end of his contract and then make a call on whether it’s Bearman.”

When does Lewis Hamilton’s Ferrari contract really expire?

The consensus in the F1 paddock is that Ferrari won’t renew Hamilton’s contract. In theory, that could change if the new regulations offset his apparent decline.

While the team haven’t confirmed the duration themselves, it’s said that Hamilton’s Ferrari contract runs for three years. Bearman may have to be patient.

George Russell spent three years at Williams before he finally got the call-up from Mercedes to replace Valtteri Bottas.

Hamilton’s deal reportedly includes release clauses, though, so he could leave the team earlier without the need for a pay-off if the partnership becomes untenable.

- David Comerford

MARTIN BRUNDLE DROPS VERDICT LEWIS HAMILTON'S F1 2026 CHANCES

Martin Brundle assesses Lewis Hamilton and George Russell's prospects heading into F1 2026.

Lewis Hamilton is still targeting an eighth world title

Martin Brundle is confident Lewis Hamilton will be in the mix of the championship picture during the 2026 Formula 1 season.

Seven-time world champion Hamilton endured a nightmare debut season with Ferrari as he suffered the most disappointing campaign of his storied F1 career.

Hamilton failed to finish on a grand prix podium during a season for the first time in his F1 career, while he was comprehensively beaten by teammate Charles Leclerc and ended the year with three consecutive Q1 eliminations.

But Brundle believes a reenergised Hamilton, even at 41, will be back in the mix at the front of the grid in 2026.

“As Formula 1 fans, we always want Ferrari to do well, don’t we? I’d love to see that come right for Lewis,” Brundle said on Sky Sports.

“He seems a bit happier. He will be great at using the tools that are available to him under the new regulations. He’s got to beat Charles Leclerc in the other Ferrari, because he’s right on it, as well.

“But a happy Lewis has always been, and not just at Ferrari, a fast Lewis. And I have to say, Ferrari have been quite innovative over the winter and they look in a better place than we’ve seen them for a few years now.

“So I’m confident that Lewis will have a better year.”

Brundle does not see a “clear favourite” for the championship and expects F1’s top four teams - McLaren, Mercedes, Red Bull and Ferrari - to be battling it out for top honours.

"I see Ferrari being strong, I see both Ferrari drivers being strong," Brundle added.

"I think both McLaren drivers will be strong as well. Oscar will come back on a mission after what he learned last year; Lando, I don't think I've ever seen him yet not with that big grin on his face so far this year, he's just got that comfort now.

"The Red Bull looks really strong, and we know how Max's car control, which you'll need with these cars, will be incredible.

"So, for me, there's not a clear favourite."

Brundle has backed George Russell, who is the bookies’ favourite going into the 2026 season, to challenge for his first F1 world championship with Mercedes this year.

"I do think he's ready for it," Brundle said of the 28-year-old Briton, who is embarking on his eighth season in F1.

"He's a smart guy; they're all smart guys. George has got the team around him. Kimi [Antonelli] will be stronger this year in the other car, but George is completely out of Lewis [Hamilton]'s shadow there, he's the king of the castle at Mercedes-Benz

"He did all those years at Williams and then he went to Mercedes when they just stopped dominating, so he's done the hard yards.

"I think he's got the experience, he's got the car control, and I think he will command the respect in the team to help drive what's going to be an incredibly changeable year.”

Brundle continued: "We questioned that with Lando [Norris] last year, and Oscar [Piastri] too, whether they would wilt under pressure from Max [Verstappen], and they didn’t. I think George is in a very good place.

"Remember, [Russell] grew up in Lewis Hamilton's shadow at Mercedes, and he handled that, and eventually in the final year they were team-mates, he beat Lewis clearly.

"So, I have no doubts about him whatsoever. They're all world-class drivers in F1, you've got to beat them somehow.

"I think George has got so much experience now despite not being 30 yet, that I don't think anything will distract him if he's got a championship-winning car.”

- Lewis Larkam

TOTO WOLFF JUST REVEALED THE QUESTIONABLE MOTIVE BEHIND LEWIS HAMILTON'S FERRARI MOVE

Credit: Fabrizio Carabelli/SOPA Images/LightRocket/Paul Bonser/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images

Toto Wolff has revealed the reasoning behind Lewis Hamilton’s move to Ferrari after 12 seasons with Mercedes, which saw him win the drivers’ championship six times and help the team to eight consecutive constructors’ championships.

The British driver’s final year with Mercedes had shades of a fairytale ending. Hamilton won the 2024 British Grand Prix in his final appearance at Silverstone as a Silver Arrow, marking his first win in F1 for 945 days.

Since making the move across the pit lane to Ferrari, things haven’t quite gone to plan.

Hamilton is currently in the midst of the longest podium-less streak in his F1 career, having not yet registered a top-three Grand Prix finish with the Scuderia.

The move caused quite a stir at the time, with many not sure about the seven-time world champion’s decision to swap silver for red amid the hype of the sport’s most recognisable star joining the most iconic team.

Toto Wolff reveals Ferrari’s offer to Lewis Hamilton was ‘very good’ among other motives

In a recent interview with GPBlog, Mercedes chief Toto Wolff revealed the reasons for Hamilton’s departure from the team after such a successful tenure, stating, “There were moments of unhappiness with us, many times.

“I think all the reasons he had to go to Ferrari are still valid today. He needed a change of environment. And we needed a change of environment. We weren’t as competitive as we would have wished.

“Ferrari looked better. Every racing driver wants to race for Ferrari. He likes the colour red anyway. The deal that was on the table was very good. And that’s, like I said, these reasons are still valid today.”

Wolff’s words beg the question: should Hamilton have prioritised better contract terms at Ferrari over the stability and prior knowledge of the inner workings at Mercedes in his decision to make the move?

At the time of the seven-time world champion’s announcement, Mercedes had just pipped Ferrari to second place in the 2023 standings and was looking to build on that heading into the 2024 season.

If things had gone differently at the highly controversial 2021 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, we may be looking at a completely different scenario for Lewis Hamilton in F1.

But they didn’t, and Mercedes saw themselves fall down the F1 pecking order in the following season when F1 introduced a new set of regulations.

They put all of their faith in the ‘zero-pod’ concept which backfired massively, and cracks started to appear in the dynamic of the team that had once looked to be unbeatable.

Wolff may not want to make the same mistake as he did with Hamilton’s exit in relation to George Russell’s contract extension at Mercedes. Russell has made the same demands as Hamilton in negotiations, putting the ball in Wolff’s court to make a decision on the future of the team.

Did Lewis Hamilton’s move to Ferrari make sense?

The British driver’s main motivation in sticking around in F1 into his 40s is to get another shot at an eighth world championship that he feels should have been his a long time ago, and he felt that making a move to one of Mercedes’ main F1 rivals would be the right way to go about that.

However, Hamilton would have been much better off sticking around at Mercedes and making an effort with the team’s 2026 challenger to push for a title once the new F1 regulations come into effect and the grid resets.

Instead, Hamilton has had to contend with several issues in his debut campaign with Ferrari and may have deja vu once the new cars hit the track for testing next year.

Wolff believes no one will remember Hamilton at Ferrari due to his lack of success at the team. The motorsport executive compared his current stint to Michael Schumacher’s return to F1 with Mercedes in 2010.

The German legend was a shell of his former self as he battled amongst the midfield in sub-optimal machinery. Whilst Ferrari is in a much better spot than Mercedes’ early years in F1, the lack of results for Hamilton may be having a regressing effect on his legacy in the sport.

LEWIS HAMILTON 'EXCITED FOR YEAR AHEAD' AFTER FERRARI SWITCH

Lewis Hamilton “could not be more excited for the year ahead” as the seven-time world champion prepares for his first F1 season with Ferrari.

Lewis Hamilton said on Friday he “could not be more excited for the year ahead” as the seven-times world champion prepares for his first Formula One season with Ferrari.

Hamilton has joined the Italian giants from Mercedes, with whom he won six of his drivers’ world titles.

But the lure of racing for Ferrari, arguably the most celebrated team in Grand Prix history, proved too strong, with Hamilton hoping his move inspires others to seize new opportunities.

I could not be more excited for the year ahead,” Lewis Hamilton wrote on LinkedIn.

Moving to Scuderia Ferrari, there’s a lot to reflect on.

#NEWJOB

The Englishman, who turns 40 on Tuesday, added: “To anyone considering their next move in 2025: embrace the change. Whether you’re switching industries, learning a new skill, or even just taking on new challenges, remember that reinvention is powerful. Your next opportunity is always within reach.

“Here’s to 2025 – a year of embracing new opportunities, staying hungry, and driving forward with purpose. Let’s make it one to remember. Andiamo (Let’s go).”

Lewis Hamilton ended his post with the hashtag, “new job”, alongside a picture of him karting in a red crash helmet as a child.

Hamilton, who made his name in Formula One with McLaren, has joined Ferrari after 12 seasons at Mercedes and his first race for his new team will be the Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne on March 16.

He is due to unveil his 2025 car at Ferrari’s season launch alongside team-mate Charles Leclerc on February 19 at the team’s Maranello headquarters in northern Italy, with testing in Bahrain the following week.

Lewis Hamilton ended his two-and-a-half year winless streak at the British Grand Prix in July, but finished only seventh in the 2024 world championship, a mammoth 214 points behind title-winner Max Verstappen.

Hamilton joins a Ferrari side that were narrowly beaten to the constructors’ title by McLaren last year.

He is bidding to win an outright record eighth world title – Hamilton shares the current record of seven with Michael Schumacher – and secure Ferrari their first championship in nearly two decades.

- Garrin Lambley

SECRET DOCUMENTS AND A RALLYING CRY HOW LEWIS HAMILTON IS TRYING TO REVIVE FERRARI

Hamilton endured a ‘weekend to forget’ in Spa but the seven-time world champion remains determined to end his F1 career on a high – and is already eyeing change for 2026

Lewis Hamilton remains without a podium in his first 13 races for Ferrari (Getty Images)

Prior to a Belgian Grand Prix weekend to forget for Lewis Hamilton, whose last F1 win came here a year ago with Mercedes, the question posed to the Ferrari driver without a podium to his name this year was an innocuous one. His answer, however, was an unyielding message to his beleaguered Ferrari team.

Asked whether he’d been at the Maranello factory in the last few weeks, Hamilton replied that he had. A “couple of days each week,” he detailed. Then, untriggered, the British driver, often so reticent to reveal the inner workings of his mind, went into full disclosure mode.

“I’ve called on lots of meetings with the heads of the team, so I’ve sat with John [Elkann], Benedetto [Vigna] and Fred [Vasseur],” Hamilton said, referring to the Ferrari chairman, CEO and team principal – the three-pronged executive team who lured the 40-year-old to the Scuderia.

Hamilton was vocal about Ferrari’s issues in a press conference prior to the Belgian GP (Getty)

“I’ve sat with the head of our car development, with Loic [Serra], but also with the heads of different departments, talking about the engine for next year, talking about front suspension for next year, talking about rear suspension for next year.

“I’ve sent documents, I’ve done [that] through the year. After the first few races I did a full document for the team, then during this break I had another two documents that I sent in and so they would come in and want to address those.”

Quite aside from the somewhat amusing hypothetical image of seven-time world champion Hamilton sitting astutely at a desk, hunched over a laptop firing off emails to decision-makers and engineers, his words speaks volumes as to the current state of the once-great Italian outfit.

Because the Brit, having spent 18 seasons at McLaren (one title) and Mercedes (six titles), knows a thing or two about successful motor-racing teams. And it goes beyond the simplicity of a quick driver in the cockpit or rapid machinery at his fingertips. It is the whole organisation, working in perfect harmony, towards a common goal.

Hamilton spoke of “structural adjustments” within the Ferrari F1 team, alongside issues with the car which need to be changed for 2026, when new engine and chassis regulations come into play. An era in the sport which is likely to be Hamilton’s last. And one in which his former team Mercedes – alongside their engine partners McLaren and Williams – seem best-placed for a revival, in contrast to Ferrari.

Of course, 13 races into a 2025 season dominated by McLaren, Hamilton already has all his horizons set on next year. Ferrari brought their last major upgrade of the season to Spa – a new rear suspension – and while Charles Leclerc salvaged a respectable podium in Sunday’s grand prix, Hamilton had a torrid few days in the Ardennes Forest.

In practice, he impeded a number of drivers at the top of Eau Rouge. Then, in sprint race qualifying, he spun on his final lap, at the final chicane, due to a rear brake issue. Hamilton, baffled in the media pen afterwards, insisted that such an issue had “never happened to him before” in his 19-year F1 career.

It meant the Saturday sprint race was a write-off, finishing 16th, before an error in qualifying, taking his car outside the remits of the white lines, meant he was eliminated in Q1 for the second day running. By this stage, Hamilton was already writing this one off as a “weekend to forget.”

But on Sunday, sparks of life. Starting in the pit-lane, Hamilton stormed up the field, as the first driver to make the correct call and switch to dry tyres, and made up 11 places to finish seventh. He was voted driver of the day. But calls from the pit-wall to “lift and coast” – curtailing his ability to go full throttle on straights – highlight more issues for this SF-25 Ferrari car.

All of this has placed Vasseur under immense pressure at the start of this season. Asked by The Independent about the morale of the team and Hamilton on Sunday evening, Ferrari’s team principal replied: “It’s not the result we were expecting with Lewis, but it’s part of the life of a racing team to react collectively very well.

“It was a good recovery for him. For sure, we have to do a better job, to score podiums or wins you can’t let one session get away. We have to make a step next week, but we are all pushing in the same direction.”

The numbers, however, make for grim reading for Hamilton. In his first year in red, it is his worst-ever start to an F1 season. While Leclerc has picked up five top-three finishes this year, Hamilton’s best-result remains fourth. In the 11 remaining races, Hamilton will be desperate not to become the first Ferrari driver since Kimi Raikkonen in 2014 not to record a podium all season. It is not just about the car, either. Hamilton admits his qualifying displays, much like his final season for Mercedes, have not been up to scratch.

Yet the bigger picture – as is the consensus up and down the paddock for every team other than McLaren – is that this season no longer matters. Next year will give the first indications of who will dominate the next generation. And as Hamilton acknowledged pre-race in Spa, in something which amounted to a rallying cry for the thousands of Ferrari personnel in Maranello, it is “crunch time” for the Brit in his deep-rooted quest for an eighth world championship.

“I feel that it’s my job to challenge absolutely every area,” he said. “If you look at the team over the last 20 years, they’ve had amazing drivers. Fernando, Sebastian, all world champions. However, they didn’t win a world championship and for me, I refuse for that to be the case. I’m going the extra mile.”

But beyond that call to arms, his most telling statement was as follows: “I’m very fortunate to have had experiences in two other great teams and things are for sure going to be different.

“I think sometimes if you take the same path all the time… you get the same results. So, I’m just challenging certain things.” And as a headline in Italian newspaper La Gazzetta dello Sport read three weeks ago, it’s now time for Ferrari to listen to Lewis Hamilton.

- Kieran Jackson

ABU DHABI GP: LEWIS HAMILTON ENDS MERCEDES CAREER WITH P4 FINISH

Lewis Hamilton finished his Mercedes career with an impressive comeback, clinching fourth place after starting 16th at the season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

Hamilton, rolling back the years, overtook teammate George Russell on the final lap.

The race called time on the most successful driver-team partnership of all time -- in his 12 years since joining Mercedes, Hamilton won 84 races and six world championships, adding to the title he won with McLaren in 2008.

The partnership even surpassed Michael Schuamcher's legendary stint at Ferrari between 1996 and 2006.

The British driver will now look to follow in Schumacher's footsteps by ending a drivers' championship drought for Ferrari, which stretches back to Kimi Raikkonen's 2007 title in Hamilton's rookie season.

If he does so, he will also move clear of the joint record of seven world championships he shares with the German driver.

Lewis Hamilton is waving goodbye to Mercedes ahead of his move to Ferrari for the 2025 season Joe Portlock/Getty Images

"That was the drive of a world champion," Mercedes boss Toto Wolff said to Hamilton on team radio after the race.,

Hamilton, meanwhile, told race engineer Peter Bonnington: "We dreamed alone but together we believed. What started out as a leap of faith turned into a journey into the history books."

Hamilton's debut Ferrari appearance will not take place until early 2025.

There was a chance he could have appeared for the team in the post-season test taking place at the Yas Marina circuit next week if an early release was settled on, but he is still contracted to Mercedes until the end of the calendar year.

"It's been a really turbulent year, probably the longest year of my life," Hamilton added to reporters in Abu Dhabi. "Lots of ups and downs, emotionally, but we finished off with a high today."

Lewis Hamilton performs donuts on the grid after finishing fourth at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix for Mercedes. ANDREJ ISAKOVIC/AFP via Getty Images

Next week Hamilton will visit Mercedes' title sponsor, Petronas, in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, as well as Mercedes' headquarters in Stuggart, Germany before visiting the team's two UK-based Formula 1 factories in Brixwoth and Brackley.

Mercedes has said the visits will be a celebration of Hamilton's career with the team.

Italy's Andrea Kimi Antonelli has already been confirmed as Hamilton's replacement for 2025 -- the teen prodigy will partner George Russell.

Hamilton, who stood on his Mercedes car after performing donuts on the Abu Dhabi grid, concluded: "Every moment that I've got in the car this week I've known that it's one of the last.

"It's been really hard to let go."

- Nate Saunders, Senior Writer, F1

LEWIS HAMILTON REPLACEMENT SIGNED MERCEDES WITH MERCEDES ANNOUNCEMENT IMMINENT

F1 2024 is Lewis Hamilton's final season with Mercedes before he heads to Ferrari

Andrea Kimi Antonelli has signed a contract to replace Lewis Hamilton at Mercedes for the F1 2025 season, it has been claimed.

And an announcement is reportedly expected at next month’s Italian Grand Prix at Monza, with the teenager set to partner George Russell at Mercedes next year.

‘Mercedes sign Andrea Kimi Antonelli as Lewis Hamilton’s replacement’

Hamilton rocked the F1 world in February by announcing that he will join Ferrari for F1 2025, ending his long and successful association with Mercedes.

The British driver has claimed six of his seven World Championships, as well as becoming the first man in F1 history to surpass 100 grand prix victories and pole positions, with Mercedes since arriving from McLaren at the start of the 2013 season.

Hamilton’s decision to leave for Ferrari came less than six months after he had agreed a two-year extension to his Mercedes deal – announced on the eve of last year’s Italian Grand Prix – with the 39-year-old activating a break clause in his revised contract last winter.

Analysis: Lewis Hamilton to join Ferrari

Mercedes has been persistently linked this year with an ambitious move for reigning three-time World Champion Max Verstappen, with team boss Toto Wolff making no secret of his desire to land the Red Bull driver.

Yet with Verstappen giving no public indication of a willingness to leave Red Bull, where he is under contract until the end of 2028 season, Mercedes seem set to promote teenage sensation Antonelli as Hamilton’s successor.

And an announcement is reportedly expected at next month’s Italian Grand Prix at Monza, with the teenager set to partner George Russell at Mercedes next year.

Autosprint has claimed that Antonelli has already signed a contract to race for Mercedes from next season, with the team planning to confirm the deal ahead of the Monza race on September 1.

Mercedes protege Antonelli has emerged as a potential star of the future over recent years, winning a number of junior championships before stepping up to Formula 1 feeder series F2.

After a slow start to the season with the struggling Prema team, Antonelli’s talent has come to the fore in recent weeks with the Bologna-born starlet winning in Britain and Hungary.

Those breakthrough victories came after Antonelli had commenced an extensive testing program with previous Mercedes F1 cars as the team sought to prepare him for a potential F1 debut, with the teenager testing the team’s 2021 and 2022 machines at the likes of Imola and Silverstone.

Although Mercedes had harboured hopes of securing Verstappen’s signature, Antonelli had long been regarded as the overwhelming favourite to succeed Hamilton for F1 2025.

Speaking to select media including PlanetF1.com the morning after Hamilton’s move to Ferrari was announced, Wolff teased that Mercedes had an opportunity “to do something bold” with their F1 2025 driver lineup.

The rise of Antonelli, who will turn 18 on the day of the Dutch Grand Prix on August 25, is set to mirror that of Hamilton, who also made his F1 debut with a front-running team when he started out with McLaren as a 22-year-old rookie in 2007.

Hamilton gave his blessing to the signing of Antonelli at this year’s Emilia Romagna Grand Prix, telling media including PlanetF1.com: “Honestly, I have no idea what Toto’s plans are but, for me, taking on a youngster would be [the right move].

“If it was my job, my role, I’d probably take on Kimi.”

- Oliver Harden

LEWIS HAMILTON MAKES ALARMING ADMISSION AT QATAR GP THAT FERRARI HOPE WON'T CONTINUE

Lewis Hamilton has two more races left with Mercedes before he moves to Ferrari for the 2025 season - and the 39-year-old is not feeling good about his prospects

Lewis Hamilton cut a dejected figure after qualifying on Friday (Image: Song Haiyuan/Getty Images)

A dejected Lewis Hamilton admitted he is “definitely not fast anymore” after another disappointing performance in qualifying.

Hamilton could only qualify seventh for the sprint race in Qatar and was 0.399 seconds slower than George Russell. His Mercedes team-mate will begin second on Saturday behind McLaren’s Lando Norris.

The 39-year-old has been consistently out-performed by Russell this season and suffered another setback in the penultimate weekend of the 2024 campaign. Hamilton will join up with Ferrari for next season and his comments in Qatar may well raise questions at the team.

"It was the same as every other qualifying, not that great," Hamilton stated. “I'm just slow. Same every weekend. The car felt relatively decent. No issues. Not really much more to say."

When asked if the problems might not be with him, but with the car, Hamilton replied: "Who knows? I'm definitely not fast anymore."

The downbeat veteran driver struggled to find any positives from the performance. "The long run didn't feel too bad," added Hamilton. "But, when you're back where I am, it makes it almost impossible to compete for wins. But that's the Sprint. I will do what I can [on Saturday]."

Asked whether there were any positives, Hamilton concluded: "Not particularly. The positive is the car is fast and George should be able to shoot for pole tomorrow."

Hamilton is an all-time great of the sport, having won seven championships. He holds the all-time record for poles, on 104 – well clear of Ferrari legend Michael Schumacher ’s 68 – but has struggled for form in recent years.

The Brit sits seventh in the standings with two races left in the season and his record compared to Russell this year is cause for concern for Ferrari. The younger man holds a 22-6 head-to-head qualifying advantage across the sport's two formats this year.

Ferrari boss Frederic Vasseur has asked Mercedes to release Hamilton early, so that he can test drive his new car, but the request has not been granted. "I know Fred wanted it to happen,” Hamilton said. “For me, I was in two minds. Driving the red car for the first time in Abu Dhabi does not excite me. In a perfect world, you get to drive it, not be seen, and do the first rollout next year.

"When I did raise it, obviously with Toto [Wolff, Mercedes team principal], they had all these plans that I have got to go and see some of the sponsors and say their farewells.

"So I do not think it was ever going to actually be allowed, even if I had asked to have done it, because I am contracted to the team until December 31st and that is totally fine. But it does not bother me, again, because I was not going to do the test.

"It is not what I wanted to do. I told Fred that it is not what I wanted to do. Am I missing out on something? For sure. It definitely delays the process and makes the start of the year harder, but we will do our best to recover."

- Felix KeithSports Reporter

LEWIS HAMILTON'S UNHEARD FINAL AUSTRIAN GRAND PRIX RADIO MESSAGE SUGGESTS HE'S STILL UNHAPPY AT FERRARI FOR ONE REASON

Ferrari were the best of the race behind McLaren at the Austrian Grand Prix.

Charles Leclerc secured his fourth podium finish of the season and was followed home by Ferrari teammate Lewis Hamilton.

Hamilton has now broken his personal record for the longest streak of Grand Prix results without a podium finish.

He hasn’t stood on the rostrum since last year’s Las Vegas Grand Prix, but there were plenty of reasons for the seven-time drivers’ champion to be happy.

Hamilton recorded his best qualifying result of the season, excluding Sprint events, to start on the second row alongside Oscar Piastri.

Kimi Antonelli’s collision with Max Verstappen was incredibly close to taking him out, but after coming out on top in a duel with ex-teammate George Russell, Hamilton could concentrate on running his own race.

He was left in no man’s land for much of the Austrian Grand Prix, and at one point, he wasn’t happy with Ferrari’s decision to bring him into the pits for the final stop.

Apart from that, Hamilton praised his team’s work throughout the weekend, doing absent team principal Fred Vasseur proud.

However, he couldn’t help but air one last frustration when speaking to race engineer Riccardo Adami after the race.

Lewis Hamilton admits he needs to ‘figure’ out his lack of pace at the Austrian Grand Prix

Ferrari rushed an update to the Austrian Grand Prix in the hopes of improving the car’s floor.

Hamilton admitted after the race that he thought it was only a minor update, but it seemed to give Ferrari the boost they needed to jump ahead of Red Bull and Mercedes in the pecking order.

Leclerc and Hamilton comfortably drove away from Russell during the race, and we’ll never know what pace Verstappen had with both his qualifying and Grand Prix efforts scuppered for reasons beyond his control.

“I’m really proud of you, let’s keep pushing. I didn’t really have the pace today; I need to figure that out. Thanks anyway.”

Adami: “The pace was there, I think. Many things to manage, but we’ll go through everything together and we’ll push.”

Charles Leclerc and George Russell agree on Lewis Hamilton’s first six months at Ferrari

After 11 Grand Prix weekends, Hamilton has 91 points and sits sixth in the drivers’ championship.

Leclerc has increased his lead over his new teammate to 28 points in Austria, but is still waiting to secure his first victory of the season.

Hamilton can at least claim to have broken that duck when he came home in P1 during the Sprint Race in China, but a visit to the podium has to be his next aim, and the upcoming British Grand Prix would be the perfect time to end that wait.

Russell and Leclerc agree on Hamilton’s start to life at Ferrari, believing that he’s the greatest driver in the history of the sport.

LEWIS HAMILTON SENDS RALLYING MESSAGE AFTER BREAK SETBACK IN SINGAPORE GP

Lewis Hamilton addresses Ferrari's Singapore Grand Prix on Instagram

Lewis Hamilton has vowed that Ferrari “will get there” despite a frustrating F1 Singapore Grand Prix, where a brake issue derailed what looked to be a promising result.

Hamilton finished eighth at the Marina Bay Street Circuit after a brake problem compromised his race.

The seven-time world champion lost over 40 seconds, which meant he had to surrender sixth place to Charles Leclerc.

Hamilton then dropped behind Fernando Alonso after receiving a five-second time penalty for track limits as he tried to stay on track while nursing the brake issue.

It continued Ferrari’s poor run of form since the summer break, with the team scoring just six more points than Williams since the end of August.

Hamilton took to Instagram to thank fans for their support in the wake of Roscoe’s death in the lead-up to Singapore.

“After a tough week, it feels good to be home,” Hamilton wrote on Instagram. “I had some time to reflect on my journey from Singapore and the main emotion

“I’m feeling is gratitude. The support and love I have felt since losing Roscoe has been a powerful reminder that, even when things sometimes seem dark, there is so much good in the world. You just have to look for it.”

HAMILTON BELIEVES FERRARI WILL SUCCEED

2025 hasn’t lived up to expectations for either Lewis Hamilton or Ferrari.

Ferrari are the only team inside the top four of the constructors’ championship without a grand prix victory.

Hamilton has yet to stand on the podium for Ferrari, with a best finish of fourth this season.

Despite another setback in Singapore, Hamilton is keen to point out the positives.

“I’m looking at the positives on track too,” Hamilton added. “The media headlines only tell one story – one where we don’t get things quite right, or things don’t go our way.

“But what I have been focussed on over the past few months is the other story. The one about how this team responds when things go wrong. How we get back up, and we go again.

“Yesterday was the perfect example. We got the strategy right, but the brake issue set us back just when momentum was building. So now we get back in the factory, learn from this last race, and plan for the next one.

“I’m really proud of this team and want to help deliver the results they and the tifosi deserve.

“I see the progress we are making, and the hard work that goes into every race, but this is Ferrari. Progress alone is not enough.

“To achieve greatness we need to go further, be better. There is so much we can achieve together, and if we can build on our successes, and change the things we need to, I fully believe we will get there.”

- Connor McDonagh

LEWIS HAMILTON POKES FUN AT FERNANDO ALONSO FOR SINGAPORE GP RADIO RANT

Lewis Hamilton responds via Instagram

Lewis Hamilton has responded to Fernando Alonso’s post-race rant over team radio at the Singapore Grand Prix.

F1’s most experienced drivers ended Sunday’s race just four-tenths apart at the chequered flag.

Hamilton was over 40 seconds ahead of Alonso, running in sixth place.

However, a late-race brake issue meant Hamilton had to drive the final two laps at an incredibly slow pace.

In a bid to get around the track safely, Hamilton cut several corners, which ultimately allowed him to stay ahead of Alonso.

Hamilton’s brake issue – combined with his tactics on the final lap to stay ahead of Alonso – annoyed the Aston Martin driver.

This led to an extraordinary radio message from the two-time F1 world champion.

Alonso said over team radio: “Oh, fu**ing hell, man. I cannot believe it. Yeah, he knew it. I cannot fu**ing believe it, I cannot fu**ing believe it. I mean, I cannot fu**ing believe it. I cannot fu**ing believe it.

“Is it safe to drive with no brakes? Oh, he should…” 

His engineer replied: “Yeah, no, no, we are looking to, we agree, we're checking track limits and stuff as well. You see, there's a margin there. Run switch warm-up, mate, run switch warm-up. That is P8 anyway, so good recovery.”

Alonso added: “Yeah, but this should be fu**ing P7. I mean, you cannot drive. Like if you are alone on track. Yeah, I mean, no respect the red flag yesterday, today, free track for them. I mean, maybe too much.”

Alonso was promoted to seventh after Hamilton was handed a five-second time penalty following the race.

HAMILTON RESPONDS

Hamilton has responded to Alonso with a subtle post on his Instagram story.

Captioned “18 years off…”, Hamilton posted a compilation from the British comedy One Foot in the Grave, in which the main character repeatedly exclaims: “I don’t believe it!”

It’s not the first time Hamilton has hit back at his former teammate.

Following previous comments from Alonso about Hamilton’s world titles – and the level of competition he faced in some of them – the seven-time world champion posted a cryptic tweet.

The post by Hamilton was simply an image of him pointing his finger at Alonso when they were teammates at McLaren.

The photo was from the 2007 United States Grand Prix, where Hamilton had beaten Alonso to the win.

- Connor McDonagh

"DREAM OF RACING IN RED...": LEWIS HAMILTON BEGINS F1 CHAPTER WITH SCUDERIA

Seven-time Formula 1 world champion Lewis Hamilton joins Ferrari ahead of the 2025 season, after 12 successful years with Mercedes.

Lewis Hamilton joins Ferrari.
© X/ScuderiaFerrar

Seven-time World Champion Lewis Hamilton shared his excitement on social media after visiting Ferrari's headquarters in Maranello for the first time on Monday. Hamilton is gearing up for his inaugural season with the legendary team, Ferrari, having made the switch from Mercedes to replace Carlos Sainz and partner Charles Leclerc. Hamilton posted another update, featuring a photo of him standing outside the factory in a sharp all-black suit, alongside a Ferrari F40 sports car. The British driver expressed gratitude for achieving his dream of racing for Ferrari.

"There are some days that you know you'll remember forever and today, my first as a Ferrari driver, is one of those days. I've been lucky enough to have achieved things in my career that I never thought possible, but part of me has always held on to that dream of racing in red. I couldn't be happier to realise that dream today," Hamilton wrote in a post on Instagram.

"Today we start a new era in the history of this iconic team, and I can't wait to see what story we will write together," he added.

This week, Hamilton is expected to complete various pre-season tasks at Maranello, including meeting team members and conducting simulator work, ahead of his first, yet-to-be-confirmed, run in a Ferrari F1 car.

Hamilton finished the last Formula 1 season behind Mercedes teammate George Russell at seventh place with 223 points including two race wins in British GP and Belgian GP. Hamilton drove his final race with Mercedes at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix last month and finished fourth ahead of Russell to end his 11-year-long association with the Silver Arrows.

The 18-year-old Andrea Kimi Antonelli will fill Hamilton's shoes at Mercedes for the upcoming season with Valtteri Bottas in reserve.

- Indo-Asian News Service

HAMILTON'S SURFING TRIP WITH KIM KARDASHIAN SPARKS HILARIOUS SERGIO PEREZ REACTION

Photo: Race Pictures

With Formula 1 enjoying a week-long break ahead of the Belgian Grand Prix, Lewis Hamilton recently delighted fans by sharing footage of himself surfing alongside Kim Kardashian, and Sergio Perez could not help but offer a hilarious reaction to the footage.

The seven-time champion, who has often been seen sharing relatively affectionate moments with the American socialite, despite the pair not openly admitting they were in a relationship, again thrilled his fans and followers when he took to his Instagram to share footage of him surfing.

While the video itself was entertaining, it was Hamilton's perfectly executed 360-degree spin on the wave that really got fans talking. Kardashian was visibly thrilled by the Ferrari driver's display, screaming with excitement as she watched him complete the impressive manoeuvre.

However, amid the several reactions that continued to greet Hamilton's surfing adventure, Cadillac driver Sergio Perez could not help but drop in a cheeky comment. The former Red Bull Racing driver, reacting to the video, simply quipped: "Ai 100% 😂"

Kim Kardashian was present at the Monaco Grand Prix to cheer Lewis Hamilton - Photo: Race Pictures

Hamilton and Kardashian have continued to appear in public together, and the American socialite was present at the Monaco Grand Prix to cheer Hamilton following his second-place finish at the famed Monte Carlo street race.

George Russell pokes fun at Lewis Hamilton over Kim Kardashian

Earlier during the British Grand Prix weekend, George Russell could not resist teasing Hamilton about Kim Kardashian during a fan event at the Silverstone Circuit. The pair, who were teammates at Mercedes, appeared together on stage in front of a lively crowd alongside fellow British drivers Lando Norris, Arvid Lindblad and Oliver Bearman.

The event was hosted by Sky Sports commentator David Croft, who commented on Hamilton's noticeably positive demeanour this season. Crofty noted: "Lewis, on track and off track, you're a much happier man this year, and from everyone here, that is great to see."

Russell swiftly interjected with comedic timing, playfully asking Hamilton: "Is that because of a fast car or a new girlfriend?" The comment drew laughter from the crowd and the drivers on stage. Hamilton took the question in good humour and smiled before saying, "Yeah, that's a good one."

Croft jumped back in on the joke, telling Hamilton, "You know why he's asking? He just needs to know whether Kimi needs two towels."

During the Monaco Grand Prix, at which Kardashian was present, she was seen picking up Kimi Antonelli's towel and using it to wipe her face in the aftermath of the race, a moment that was captured and shared online. Kardashian would eventually gift Antonelli a replacement towel bearing the inscription: "To Kimi from Kim".

- Samson Ero

LEWIS HAMILTON SAYS DRIVING A FERRARI F1 CAR FOR FIRST TIME WAS 'EXCITING AND SPECIAL'

Hamilton was behind the wheel of a 2023-specification Ferrari SF-23 bearing his racing number, 44, at the team's Fiorano test track and wore a new helmet design in yellow with a prominent Prancing Horse logo

British driver Lewis Hamilton waves to fans as he steers a Ferrari Formula One SF-23 at the Ferrari private test track, in Fiorano Modenese, Italy, Wednesday, Jan.22, 2025. (AP Photo/Luca Bruno)
 

Lewis Hamilton drove a Ferrari Formula 1 car for the first time Wednesday and described it as “one of the best feelings of my life.”

Hamilton was behind the wheel of a 2023-specification Ferrari SF-23 bearing his racing number, 44, at the team’s Fiorano test track and wore a new helmet design in yellow with a prominent Prancing Horse logo.

The 40-year-old British driver set out for his first lap at 9:16 a.m. local time in light fog and twice waved to a crowd of around 1,000 spectators, who had gathered on a nearby bridge despite the cold and wet weather.

“When I started the car up and drove through that garage door, I had the biggest smile on my face,” Hamilton said of his first drive in a Ferrari since joining the Italian team for the 2025 season. “It reminded me of the very first time I tested a Formula 1 car, it was such an exciting and special moment, and here I am, almost 20 years later, feeling those emotions all over again.” Part-way through the day, Hamilton headed over to fans who had waited for hours in the wet conditions since early morning for a glimpse of him behind the wheel.

Wearing a jacket in Ferrari red, he waved, gave a thumbs-up gesture and put a hand to his heart. Hamilton’s mother was among his family members on hand for the occasion.

“I’ve been lucky enough to have many firsts in my career, from the first test to the first race, podium, win and championship, so I wasn’t sure how many more firsts I had but driving a Scuderia Ferrari HP car for the first time this morning, was one of the best feelings of my life,” Hamilton said.

Hamilton has shaken up F1 with his move to Ferrari after 12 years with Mercedes, where he won six of his seven world titles.

There was excitement Wednesday from one of Italy’s biggest sports stars, too.

After reaching the semifinals at the Australian Open, top-ranked tennis player Jannik Sinner was asked by an Italian reporter if he had seen anything on social media about Hamilton’s Ferrari debut.

“It’s still pretty strange to see him in red,” Sinner said, “but it’ll be a great season.” Hamilton, who arrived Monday at Ferrari’s Maranello headquarters for his first day at work with the new team, has said he’s fulfilling a childhood dream.

“I already knew from the outside how passionate the Ferrari family is, from everyone in the team to the tifosi (fans),” he said. “But to now witness it firsthand as a Ferrari driver has been awe-inspiring. That passion runs through their veins and you can’t help but be energized by it.” F1 tightly restricts teams from testing current-specification cars but the rules are more loose for older cars like the SF-23 that Hamilton drove Wednesday. The F1 regulations for 2025 allow Hamilton to drive up to 1,000 kilometers (621 miles) over four days in older F1 cars under the “testing of previous cars” rule. The SF-23 is the most recent Ferrari that’s eligible.

- AP

LEWIS HAMILTON'S FURIOUS RADIO EXCHANGE WITH FERRARI DURING CHINESE GP

Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc have been disqualified from the Chinese Grand Prix after both of their cars failed their respective post-race technical checks. Leclerc and Hamilton originally finished fifth and sixth respectively for Ferrari in the Shanghai race in what proved to be a disappointing day for the team, but things would soon take a turn for the worse.

Hamilton was disqualified for excessive skid-plain wear. The same infringement that cost him second place at the US Grand Prix when racing for Mercedes. Leclerc was dismissed after his vehicle was identified as 1kg underweight.

The disqualification will damage morale within the camp following an already under-par showing in Shanghai. The removal of both drivers will see Ferrari miss out on a staggering 18 points in the Constructors' Championship, but relations between Hamilton and his new engineers already seemed strained before news of the disqualification emerged.

Lewis Hamilton Couldn't Hide His Frustration With Ferrari During the Chinese Grand Prix

Ferrari's new recruit has only raced for the team twice

Tensions appeared high during the Shanghai race following an exchange between Ferrari engineer, Riccardo Adami, and Hamilton and this disqualification will only add to the enormous pressure Ferrari now faces.

Hamilton was heard on the radio imploring his team for advice as the 40-year-old struggled to catch the leading pack. The seven-time world champion realised he was losing ground and made a desperate plea to his garage for some guidance, stating:

"Give me some feedback guys, come on. I need some feedback of where I’m losing [time]."

When Adami responded by letting Hamilton know that the issue might be happening at Exit 13, Lewis snapped back, replying: "Yeah, you told me that already!" That Hamilton is already sound fed up with his new team after just two races together is not an encouraging sign.

Following the disqualification of both Ferrari drivers, Esteban Ocon of Haas was moved from seventh to fifth, whilst his teammate Oliver Bearman jumped up to eighth. Kimi Antonelli of Mercedes was elevated to sixth, with Williams' Alex Albon in seventh.

Hamilton and Leclerc were not the only drivers to face disqualification as Alpine's Pierre Gasly who initially finished 11th, was also disqualified during the post-race examination. While Ferrari will likely be extra vigilant about flouting technical rules in the wake of the disqualifications, it seems there's a fair bit of team building to do before the Japanese Grand Prix on the 6th April given Hamilton's exceptionally blunt words during Sunday's race.

- Patrick Post

LEWIS HAMILTON LEFT DUMBSTRUCK AS GEORGE RUSSELL MAKES 'GIRLFRIEND' COMMENT

 George Russell and Lewis Hamilton were taking part in a F1 fan event in Barcelona ahead of last weekend's Spanish Grand Prix when an awkward moment occurred between the pair.

George Russell's cheeky 'Spanish girlfriends' gag at Lewis Hamilton left the F1 ace wishing for a quick escape.

The Mercedes stars were entertaining fans in Barcelona before the Spanish Grand Prix when Russell decided to throw a playful jab at his team-mate. Hamilton, who will be moving to Ferrari in 2025, is so far without a race victory in his final campaign with Mercedes.

To make things even more awkward, Russell has also been outperforming Hamilton throughout the campaign. Nevertheless, while they were on the stage, the pair were having fun, bantering each other in front of the fans.

But things took an awkward turn when Russell made a bold girlfriend joke about Hamilton. As the crowd erupted in laughter and the host urged a response, the British racing legend could only offer a strained smile before he quickly tried to change the topic.

During the event, they were quizzed about their favourite Spanish dishes. Russell was quick off the mark, expressing his love for the country's culinary delights, thanks to his Spanish girlfriend, Carmen Montero Mundit, reports the Express.

When it was Hamilton's turn he said: "I don't have a Spanish girlfriend so I don't really know a lot of Spanish foods." Russell couldn't resist interjecting before Hamilton could finish, saying: "You don't have a Spanish girlfriend, you have Spanish girlfriends."

Hamilton appeared genuinely surprised by the quip and was left grinning and nodding as the fans laughed. The crowd clearly loved Russell's playful banter, responding with an enthusiastic cheer to his tongue-in-cheek remark.

Last year Hamilton was frequently seen with Spanish speaking Colombian superstar Shakira. They were snapped enjoying each other's company on a Miami boat trip last year, before the 'Waka Waka' songwriter was also seen cheering Hamilton on at last year's Spanish GP.

Hamilton always remains tight-lipped when it comes to intimate details about his love life or dating status. Nevertheless, fans were beginning to think he and Shakira were set to become an item, especially when he was seen dining with Shakira and pals Daniel Caesar, Fai Khadra, and Mustafa shortly after the Spanish GP.

However, this is far from the case nowadays, because in a candid interview with Rolling Stone, Shakira recently declared she's not on the lookout for romance, decisively saying: "What space do I have for a man right now?"

Despite Shakira not being there to cheer him on this year, Hamilton delivered one of his season's standout performances at the Spanish GP. He secured his first podium finish of the year by finishing third at the Circuit De Barcelona, one place ahead of Russell.

Meanwhile, Max Verstappen continued his march to his fourth consecutive F1 world title by pipping Lando Norris to the chequered flag in Spain.

- Patrick Austen-Hardy

LEWIS HAMILTON STUNS MONACO AS HE ARRIVES ON RARE SUPERBIKE

Lewis Hamilton arrived at the Monaco GP media day on his rare custom MV Agusta F4 LH44 motorcycle.

Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari

Photo by: Clive Rose / Getty Images

Lewis Hamilton certainly made an entrance to the 2025 Monaco Grand Prix media day on Thursday. Riding his custom red MV Agusta F4 LH44 motorcycle, the seven-time champion arrived at the circuit to flashing cameras and cheers. 

With both Hamilton and his bike wearing Ferrari colours, this race weekend follows a strong performance at Imola with the Scuderia team, as well as his appearance at the F1 movie private screening last night. 

The exclusive MV Agusta F4 LH44 motorcycle

Hamilton's ride of choice comes in the shape of the exclusive limited edition LH44 motorcycle. After a collaboration between the driver and the brand in 2017, 44 units - Hamilton's racing number - of this rare machine were built. In fact, this makes it one of the rarest motorcycles ever built. 

Built atop the F4 RC platform, which assimilates technology from the World Superbike Championship's Reparto Corse Superbike, it boasts a four-cylinder, 998cc heart that produces 212 hp, seven more than the standard model. In something that weighs 190 kg dry, that's an immense amount of power. That means a top speed of approximately 184 mph.

“I am very excited to continue my partnership with MV Agusta," Hamilton said on the bike's release. "I love working with Giovanni and the guys at MV Agusta, their passion for engineering and attention to detail produces stunning, original looking bikes.

"My projects with MV Agusta are a great way to combine my love of riding bikes with my interest in creative design process so I am very much involved with the CRC design team throughout. 

“I am particularly excited to introduce my new bike, the F4 LH44. It looks quite stunning and I had the pleasure of riding on track a few weeks ago in Italy, it feels great and combines the best of both worlds, a race bike for the road! There will be 44 bikes produced so I hope the lucky owners will love it as much as I do”.

The machine features lashings of carbon fibre and titanium to maintain its lean weight, but the bright red paint job is what makes it stand out.

Hamilton started his race week with a private screening of the F1 movie alongside his fellow Formula 1 drivers. The highly anticipated Brad Pitt-led film sees the Ferrari driver serve as producer, with his responsibility mostly revolving around grounding the film in reality. 

The majority of drivers, as well as a number of other team personnel, gathered at the Monaco's Grimaldi Forum to enjoy the production. 

- Alex Harrington