F1 champion Lewis Hamilton involved in embarrassing Saudi Grand Prix blunder

Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari, Australia, 2025 — Photo: © IMAGO

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Lewis Hamilton involved in embarrassing Saudi Grand Prix blunder

Lewis Hamilton's Ferrari switch clearly eluded someone...

Sheona Mountford F1 Journalist

Motorsport journalist working in F1 since 2024.

Friday 18 April 2025 22:57

The Saudi Arabian Grand Prix promoters have apparently been living under a rock, after an embarrassing gaffe involving Lewis Hamilton and one of their Formula 1 event posters featuring the star.

If you somehow missed Hamilton’s switch to Ferrari during the winter break - seriously, it was all over social media there’s no excuse - you find yourself in good company, with a poster at the Saudi Arabian GP also demonstrating that those involved must have missed the memo that he is no longer a Mercedes driver.

Thanks to some detective work from a Belgian (not Hercule Poirot sorry, you won't be seeing him on Brundle's Grid Walk), an event banner was shared on X promoting the 2025 Saudi Arabian GP alongside a picture of Hamilton...in Mercedes gear!

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The picture, shared in fact by Belgian journalist Gaetan Vigneron, showcased a pretty embarrassing blunder considering there have been four grands prix to learn that Hamilton now races for Ferrari; but there must be an explanation.

Perhaps they got ahead of the curve and sorted out their promotion material early, before Hamilton announced his switch? Perhaps there’s someone in the design team who believes, at heart, Hamilton is still a Mercedes driver? Or maybe they just re-used last year’s template!

Regardless, it has given us all a giggle.

Will Hamilton regret his Ferrari move?

Of course there could be a deeper meaning, a thought-provoking message behind the Saudi GP blunder: Will Hamilton regret moving to Ferrari and leaving Mercedes?

Thus far in 2025, Mercedes’ George Russell has enjoyed three podium finishes and remains in the championship hunt, unlike Ferrari who have endured a lacklustre start to the season.

Mercedes are also tipped to master the 2026 regulation changes, the same way they dominated the start of the hybrid era with the new engine-focused rules back in 2014.

Maybe the picture is a warning to Hamilton - move back to Mercedes before it's too late! Nah! They probably just used the wrong picture, didn't they?

Lewis Hamilton Ferrari Mercedes Saudi Arabian Grand Prix