Mercedes F1 star Lewis Hamilton RETIREMENT bombshell dropped

Photo: © IMAGO

Lewis Hamilton

Hamilton F1 RETIREMENT bombshell dropped

The seven-time world champion has his exit plan

Kevin McKenna

Thursday 7 November 2024 19:57 Updated: 08:49

Mercedes star Lewis Hamilton has already decided when he will retire from Formula 1, it has been claimed.

The seven-time world champion has been racing at the pinnacle of motorsport since making his debut for McLaren back in 2007.

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After winning one world championship with the team, Hamilton made the switch to Mercedes in 2013, where he went on to establish himself as one of the greatest drivers in the history of the sport.

However, it has been a frustrating few years for the Brit, having been replaced by Red Bull star Max Verstappen as F1's dominant force, with his last championship victory coming in 2020.

Soon, Hamilton is set to embark on a new chapter with Ferrari after agreeing a shock move to the Italian giants from 2025, where he will hope to once again be in the mix for a championship.

Lewis Hamilton is set to make the move to Ferrari next season

The seven-time world champion will partner Charles Leclerc at the Scuderia

Lewis Hamilton retirement plan revealed

Now, though, Matt Whyman - author of Inside Mercedes F1: Life in the Fast Lane - has opened up on some of his discussions with the 105-time racer winner as part of his book preparations.

Whyman spent 18 months travelling and working alongside the team, gaining a unique behind-the-scenes perspective on the inner workings of the organisation, which involved getting exclusive access to their biggest stars.

Speaking to The Mirror, the award-winning writer explained Hamilton's upcoming move to Ferrari was a topic of discussion when he spoke to the Brit, revealing that the seven-time champion has a clear plan in his mind on when he is going to call it a day.

Hamilton has cut a dejected figure in recent years with Mercedes

Whyman said: "I asked him directly what was going on and he just said, ‘It is every kid's dream who gets involved in motor racing to race a Ferrari, and that is it - I did not want to get to the end of my career and look back and go, what if?’,"

"He says he knows when the end of his career will be, he has got this very clear plan ahead of him.

"He said it is really meaningful to him, the fact that he has won all these races with Mercedes and he has been on this journey.

"The one thing he had not done and he just thought, ‘I do not want to walk away and go, I wish I had done that'."

Red Bull Max Verstappen Lewis Hamilton Ferrari Mercedes McLaren