Silly season 2024-2025

[djos]

If the crazy rumours are true, it’ll make for a great few seasons for us fans.

[dren]

Uhmm... Why did I wake up to an absolute STORM of news about Lewis joining Ferrari in 2025??? Insane!!

At first I thought cmon, the same old new.. but I've read that this is done apparently and to be announced any day now??

Wow, so excited for this!!

lol they released it the same day the Andretti rejection news came out to tame the backlash.

[Bill_Kar]

Yeah, this can't be coincidental I think. Probably, there was a touch of pressure from F1 side as well, to release it sooner??

[tinuva]

Even Sky is reporting this now.

https://news.sky.com/story/formula-one- ... i-13061256

[Bill_Kar]

Even Sky is reporting this now.

https://news.sky.com/story/formula-one- ... i-13061256

I think it is done. Especially when it comes from the Italian journalist side, they are practically part of Ferrari themselves.

Gazzetta also mentions a try to get him this year, I think this is TOO far, but man, I don't know. Last night I wasn't aware of any move whatsoever.. Let's wait I suppose.

[Wouter]

It seems a done deal:

Sources have told BBC Sport that all Mercedes team members have been called to a team briefing
with boss Toto Wolff and technical director James Allison at 14:00 GMT on Thursday.
This is likely to be to announce Hamilton is leaving.

If this is true I think there will be a swap right now for this saison.

[Farnborough]

It seems a done deal:

Sources have told BBC Sport that all Mercedes team members have been called to a team briefing
with boss Toto Wolff and technical director James Allison at 14:00 GMT on Thursday.
This is likely to be to announce Hamilton is leaving.

If this is true I think there will be a swap right now for this saison.

No wonder LH was looking pensive in that seat fitting photo leak

[Wouter]

It seems a done deal:

Sources have told BBC Sport that all Mercedes team members have been called to a team briefing
with boss Toto Wolff and technical director James Allison at 14:00 GMT on Thursday.
This is likely to be to announce Hamilton is leaving.

If this is true I think there will be a swap right now for this saison.

.
No wonder LH was looking pensive in that seat fitting photo leak

.

[Farnborough]

I felt it would be a "now or never" scenario when they were talking about a ferrari drive for LH last year. He's running out of time realistically to command such a switch.

TW also stated before that he can definitely see the attraction of driving for Ferrari in a driver's career, more or less stating he would understand that move, wish him luck and compete like he'll against him as opponent too. That's if my memory serves me well

It'll be exiting whichever moves come off.

My guess for MB 2025 would be Albon first, performance and GR friendship swinging it marginally, with Ocon close and ties with TW etc.

[Sofa King]

Announcing this now only makes sense if there are contractual barriers to Lewis making the move this year and Toto is standing in the way. Lewis is 39, he doesn’t have time for a lame duck year. For Mercedes, how can they trust him to develop the car and not pass along secrets to Ferrari? Are there any precedents to making a transfer announcement this early?

[organic]

Announcing this now only makes sense if there are contractual barriers to Lewis making the move this year and Toto is standing in the way. Lewis is 39, he doesn’t have time for a lame duck year. For Mercedes, how can they trust him to develop the car and not pass along secrets to Ferrari? Are there any precedents to making a transfer announcement this early?

Maybe Alonso's move to McLaren announced before the beginning of 2006?

[stewie325]

A bit weird that he's been sponsored by Merc all his life since the junior days, and chooses to leave now. Is it purely performance-related or some intra-team politics? Or is he trying to set up a more lucrative post-racing career, since Ferrari have a better marketing value outside of F1.
Either way, it would be interesting who wins between a slightly error-prone Leclerc or 40yo Hamilton.

[taperoo2k]

A bit weird that he's been sponsored by Merc all his life since the junior days, and chooses to leave now. Is it purely performance-related or some intra-team politics? Or is he trying to set up a more lucrative post-racing career, since Ferrari have a better marketing value outside of F1.
Either way, it would be interesting who wins between a slightly error-prone Leclerc or 40yo Hamilton.

I think it's probably the lure of Ferrari "Now or never" and maybe deciding he might as well take a punt on
winning a title with Ferrari.

Anyway, from a Ferrari sponsor kit, 44 on the car.
https://x.com/JennieGow/status/1753048537972011133?s=20

[dren]

I really thought Hamilton would stick it out with Mercedes. This move makes me think the Mercedes won't have the performance that is needed to win a title.

[taperoo2k]

I really thought Hamilton would stick it out with Mercedes. This move makes me think the Mercedes won't have the performance that is needed to win a title.

Well if it's true then I expect Lewis just got fed up of the broken promises from Mercedes and
the lure of Ferrari was just too much too resist. It's pretty much now or never for
Lewis.

I think Mercedes will produce a title challenger, but it might not be until the next set of regulations.
These regulations caught Mercedes off guard, and they've been scrambling ever since to catch Red Bull.