Breaking Down the Popular Theories Around Why Lewis Hamilton Left Mercedes

The F1 world is shaken to its core with the stellar announcement of Lewis Hamilton jumping ship to Ferrari after spending a decade donning Mercedes’ race suit. The people working at Mercedes were just as surprised with the announcement as the fans (but perhaps not as positively as the latter) once they came to know of the switch. Even Toto Wolff was in the dark about the same, as reports reveal he came to know about the deal over a phone call a night before the news went public.

The intrigue around the move from Hamilton to join Ferrari rose further owing to his statements from 10 months ago. Back then, the 39-year-old ensured Mercedes of his commitment after saying ‘no’ to John Elkann’s offer for him to don the scarlet red of Ferrari.

Many are dubbing it as the biggest and most shocking move in F1 history, and given the same, fans and experts came up with several theories behind Hamilton’s motive. Here’s a look at some of these theories.

A conflict between Lewis Hamilton and Toto Wolff?

Working together since 2013, Hamilton and Wolff created a strong bond with each other and shared arguably the most successful team principal-driver pairing in the history of F1. However, things seem to have turned sour between the two, especially because Hamilton opted to inform Wolff over a phone call just a night before the news went public.

 

There are chances that Mercedes might have done something to rub the British driver the wrong way, leading to him deciding to part ways with them. As such, fans are blaming Wolff for not being able to retain the driver who won six of his seven world championships with them.

Additionally, there is also the possibility of the move merely being a calculated decision by the 39-year-old, which focuses on his personal interest- a trait many elite athletes carry.

Hamilton had a Ferrari dream to fulfil?

The last two years have been far from optimal for Hamilton. Aside from developmental issues with the car, intra-team tensions rose to an all-time high as his clashes with George Russell intensified. Furthermore, the often lack of presence of the Mercedes personnel during the times when Hamilton secured the podium also became a cause for concern.

Amid all this, the promise of aiding Hamilton for an eighth world title started feeling bogus, adding to a strained relationship. Rumors kept circulating of him considering a switch to Ferrari in hopes of a new challenge and a better car.

After achieving the toughest of goals with Mercedes, it looks like Hamilton was in search of a new challenge, and the Ferrari outfit checked all his boxes.

A lackluster performance by Mercedes

Hopes ran high from the W15 for the 2024 season, with James Allison completely revamping the concept of the car to promise renewed hope for the Silver Arrows, who have won just one race in the last two seasons. Hamilton, too, hoped to see better results than previous tests, signaling a change of wind within the team.

However, chances are the simulator runs did not yield positive results, letting down the 39-year-old, who is running out of time to continue driving in F1. Hence, it is likely Hamilton decided to take matters into his own hands and moved to a team where he felt things would be better.

Lewis Hamilton intrigued by the 2026 Ferrari program?

Ferrari team boss Fred Vasseur and Hamilton have a long-standing history with each other, dating back to the days when Hamilton was still a driver in Formula 3. Given the lack of hope at Mercedes around their 2025 car, the two factors might have been critical in Hamilton opting to side with his former boss.

Aside from the past, the future also plays a crucial role in Hamilton’s decision to move to Ferrari in 2025, given the team has short to medium-term plans and is targeting the 2026 season as an important year in their plans. Hamilton might have absorbed the information well enough to make the stellar move.

A key departure from Mercedes drove Lewis Hamilton away?

Mercedes’ Head of Vehicle Performance, Loic Serra, will also be joining Ferrari starting from the 2025 season, highlighting a significant departure from the team. Vasseur labeled Serra a “top guy,” further reflecting the magnitude of the impact of his departure from the Mercedes outfit.

Both Serra and Hamilton had similar views on the W13 and W14, opposing the base concept of the car, especially about the cars’ wheelbase and floor. Per RacingNews 365, Serra could be a key figure in Hamilton’s decision to step away from Ferrari.