Lewis Hamilton is not having second thoughts about his move to Ferrari next year, even with Mercedes outperforming their Italian rivals. Hamilton, set to join Ferrari in 2025 after a 12-year stint with Mercedes, returned to the podium for the first time this season with a third-place finish at the Spanish Grand Prix on Sunday. His impressive performance saw him outrun Ferrari drivers Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz, who finished fifth and sixth respectively. Hamilton even overtook Sainz, the very driver he is set to replace at Ferrari, twice during the race.
Despite Mercedes’ apparent upward trajectory and Ferrari’s recent struggles, Hamilton remains firm in his decision to switch teams. “Firstly, I love Mercedes. And my job this year is to work as hard as I can with the crew that I have and the people back (at) the factory to try and move in the right direction,” Hamilton stated. “My job will start next year with the other team, who I think are doing a great job. I can’t tell you what is wrong with that car and why they are the position they are in today. (…) But it doesn’t make me second-guess my decision at all.”
The race saw Red Bull’s Max Verstappen claim victory, followed by Lando Norris with Hamilton finishing closely behind. This marked the seven-time Formula One champion’s best result since finishing third at the Mexican GP in October last year. Hamilton extended his record with 18 consecutive seasons featuring a podium finish. In Barcelona, he also outscored teammate George Russell, who finished fourth, for only the third time this season.
Hamilton’s last win came at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix in 2021, marking his 103rd career victory. Since then, Verstappen has overtaken him as the dominant driver in F1. However, Hamilton’s focus remains on ending his Mercedes journey on a high note. “It would be nice (to win again with Mercedes),” he said. “I think, considering where we’ve come from, just having consistency and seeing if we can put the team further up in the points, I think that’s got to be the target.” Hamilton is excited to embark on a new chapter of his exceptional career with Ferrari, determined to make the most of his final year with Mercedes before the transition.
