F1 News: Jenson Button 'very close' to landing Ferrari drive before Lewis Hamilton

Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari, Social — Photo: © IMAGO

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F1 legend admits being 'very close' to SENSATIONAL Ferrari switch before Hamilton

Lewis Hamilton has recently confirmed his switch to the Maranello-based team

Tyler Rowlinson

Monday 5 February 2024 10:57

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Former Formula 1 driver and world champion Jenson Button has revealed that he was very close to joining Ferrari before his former team-mate Lewis Hamilton.

Hamilton made a shocking move from Mercedes to the Italian team for the 2025 season on Thursday evening, when it was announced that he will replace Carlos Sainz and partner Charles Leclerc.

The Brit joined the silver arrows back in 2013 from McLaren, after spending three years alongside Button between 2010 and 2012.

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In that time, the two managed 18 wins together and helped McLaren to a second-place finish in the constructors’ championship in both 2010 and 2011.

Jenson Button spent three years with Lewis Hamilton as tram-mate at McLaren

Hamilton will join Ferrari from Mercedes in 2025

But Button revealed that he was very close to joining the team before his ex team-mate

Button's Ferrari links

Speaking with Sky Sports F1, Button offered his reaction to the sensational news of Hamilton making the switch to Maranello for next season.

The 2009 world champion also revealed that he himself was very close to signing for Ferrari some years ago, when he was still driving in F1.

When asked if he thought this was a dream move for the seven-time world champion, Button said: “I think for all of us, we were all little kids one day, a long time ago! And you see the red Ferrari and you think: ‘I want to race for that team.’

“I didn’t get the chance to race for Ferrari. It was very, very close, contracts almost in hand. But this is a special one for him. We’re looking into the future too far but I just hope it goes well for him, because ending your career when you’ve had such highs. Ending it with a team and you don’t perform there, it’s tricky.

“But I look forward to seeing Lewis and I think Lewis is in a place where he’s got a lot of confidence at the moment in himself. I think he’s driving at his best and if he can carry that over to Ferrari, we’re looking forward to a great fight between him and Charles.”

F1 Lewis Hamilton Ferrari Mercedes McLaren Charles Leclerc