BREAKING: Lewis Hamilton confirms U-turn in two minds over Ferrari situation in admission ahead of Mercedes exit
Lewis Hamilton’s highly anticipated move to Ferrari is drawing closer, but his current commitments to Mercedes mean he’ll have to wait a bit longer before getting behind the wheel of a Scuderia car.
Hamilton has acknowledged that missing the chance to test with Ferrari next month will make his transition to the team more challenging. Normally, drivers switching teams participate in the end-of-season Abu Dhabi test shortly after the final race. However, Hamilton won’t have that opportunity before officially joining Ferrari.
Ferrari boss Frederic Vasseur had sought Mercedes’ permission for Hamilton to join the post-season test, but his contract with Mercedes runs through December 31, and he has obligations to fulfill with the team until then. As a result, Hamilton won’t experience Ferrari machinery until after his 40th birthday on January 7.
Although Hamilton admits that it would have been helpful to test with Ferrari earlier, he’s content that his first experience in their car won’t be at the Yas Marina Circuit. He explained:
“Fred wanted it to happen, but driving the red car for the first time in Abu Dhabi wasn’t appealing to me. Ideally, you’d do it privately, away from the spotlight, and prepare for next year. When I mentioned it to Toto [Wolff], Mercedes already had plans for me to meet sponsors and say goodbyes, so it wasn’t realistic to ask for an early release. That’s fine, though—it’s not what I wanted to do.
“Still, missing out does delay things and makes the season’s start more challenging, but we’ll work hard to catch up.”
Hamilton is set to test Ferrari’s car at their Fiorano track in January, far from public scrutiny, aligning with his preference for privacy during his initial runs. Vasseur confirmed Ferrari plans to hold one or two private sessions, along with the official pre-season test in Bahrain in February, which should provide sufficient preparation before the season opener in Australia.