Lewis Hamilton reveals F1 EXIT plans after Ferrari world title

Lewis Hamilton

Lewis Hamilton reveals F1 EXIT plans after Ferrari world title

The 40-year-old could break Michael Schumacher's record

Chris Deeley Editor

Experienced sports writer covering F1 and other motorsports since 2023

Tuesday 25 February 2025 19:56

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Lewis Hamilton has spoken out on the idea of leaving Formula 1 for good, if he finally catches his white whale and secures a record eighth world drivers' title.

The Brit won championship number seven back in 2020, before being denied an eighth by race director Michael Masi's infamous error in Abu Dhabi in 2021, which eventually saw Max Verstappen claim success.

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Hamilton went over two years without a race win following that controversial race, as Red Bull emerged as the dominant force in the sport. He did come back to claim two wins in 2024, but Mercedes clearly had the fourth-fastest car on the grid, something the seven-time champ appeared to see coming as he announced an early exit to Ferrari.

The Scuderia had a much stronger year, finishing a close second behind McLaren in the constructors' title, and pushing on in the second half of the season as their upgrade packages took effect.

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Hamilton has been greeted like a hero in his early appearances in the famous red of the Italian team, and has insisted that he's not planning to be one-and-done in his age-40 season.

He's also played down the idea that he remains quixotically fixated on the idea of breaking Michael Schumacher's long-standing record of seven world championships, recently saying that he's not strictly aiming for his eighth title, but his first title with Ferrari.

Pre-season testing starts on Wednesday morning in Bahrain, the first time Hamilton and new team-mate Charles Leclerc will get to experience the 2025 Ferrari package with current spec Pirelli tyres.

Speaking to Gazzetta, he said: "If I was lucky enough to win another title, which is obviously what we’re working towards, I don’t see myself ready to stop.

"For me it’s not about winning the eighth title. For me this would be the first - winning the first world championship with Ferrari.

"It’s about entering the history of this team by trying to win the first success with them."