F1 icon confesses coming 'very close' to securing sensational Ferrari drive before Hamilton

Former Formula 1 driver and world champion Jenson Button discloses that he came close to joining Ferrari before his ex-team-mate Lewis Hamilton.

In a surprising move, Hamilton switched from Mercedes to Ferrari for the 2025 season on Thursday evening, taking Carlos Sainz's place and joining Charles Leclerc.

The British driver had joined the Silver Arrows in 2013 after spending three years alongside Button at McLaren from 2010 to 2012.

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

Button: I was very close to joining Ferrari

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

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.”

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