Main factor behind Lewis Hamilton’s Ferrari bombshell move comes to light – report

Lewis Hamilton to Ferrari in 2025 is confirmed, a shock move reportedly heavily inspired by Ferrari-bound ex-Mercedes performance director Loïc Serra.

Hamilton and Mercedes have enjoyed record-breaking success together in Formula 1, Hamilton winning six of his seven World Championships with the team during their streak of eight Constructors’ titles in a row between 2014-21.

This era is reaching its conclusion though, with the bombshell announcement made that Hamilton will swap Mercedes for Ferrari come 2025, taking the seat currently held by Carlos Sainz.

Loïc Serra a major Lewis Hamilton to Ferrari pull factor?

Rumours have swirled for years over Formula 1’s most successful driver in Hamilton joining the series’ most successful team Ferrari, though until now it had been merely talk, the prospect seemingly having been taken off the table for the foreseeable future when Hamilton signed a new Mercedes deal during the 2023 campaign.

However, Hamilton has confirmed his impending exit before the 2024 campaign even got underway, RacingNews365.com reporting that Serra, who is set to join Ferrari in 2025 after exiting the Mercedes performance director role, was a key reason for why Hamilton is also heading to Ferrari.

‘Trusted technical sources’ informed the publication that Serra and Hamilton were aligned on their disgruntlement with the Mercedes concept in the ground effect era, Serra’s opinion that Mercedes’ very long wheelbase and floor were not the way to go clashing with the view of former technical director Mike Elliott and his team.

As well as Serra and Hamilton arriving, they report that Serra will also be bringing a cluster of Mercedes technicians with him to Ferrari.

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Hamilton has never been shy to take major risks in the form of F1 team swaps throughout his career, the decision to leave McLaren for Mercedes sending similar shockwaves through the sport at the time.

It is safe to say that decision worked wonders for Hamilton’s career, with 1996 World Champion Damon Hill praising Hamilton for “pulling a blinder” with this next move to Ferrari.

“He’s got an instinct,” Hill said of Hamilton when speaking to Sky Sports. “He’s got a racer’s instinct as to which way the wind blows.

“I think he may have actually pulled a blinder just like he did when he left McLaren and went to Mercedes.”

It is quite the decision now awaiting for Mercedes to pick who will take over from Hamilton as team-mate to George Russell come 2025.

Read next – F1’s biggest defectors: When World Champions decided to join a rival team