Mercedes' standard-bearer since 2013, Lewis Hamilton is set to leave the German group where he forged his legend. The driver with seven world championship titles, a record he shares with Michael Schumacher, has clearly been convinced by Ferrari, who have offered him an insane salary to keep his career going for a few more years.
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Lewis Hamilton's massive salary at Ferrari
From 2025 onwards, the landscape of Formula 1 will change completely. Spanish racing driver Carlos Sainz will leave Ferrari and be replaced by the illustrious Lewis Hamilton. At the age of 39, the champion has no intention of stopping, and will therefore become the teammate of Charles Leclerc, who was strongly criticized for deliberately causing an accident during a Grand Prix at his homeland in Monaco.
The Italian press is adamant that Lewis Hamilton's transfer to Ferrari is the most resounding in motorsport history. Two well-known newspapers, La Gazzetta dello Sport and La Stampa, investigated the future salary of the native of Stevenage, England. His predecessor, Carlos Sainz, earned 11€ million per season. On the strength of his experience and talent, Hamilton is set to make Ferrari's payroll explode, as he is believed to receive a compensation package worth 50 million euros.
This is more than Charles Leclerc who reportedly earns 40 million euros. However, while this salary is still enormous, it is 10 million euros less than that which the Briton earns at Mercedes. Lewis Hamilton has therefore agreed to lower his salary to join the legendary team, which is dreaming of returning to the top. At the moment, Red Bull and Max Verstappen dominate the F1 game. The Italian giant is probably hoping to reverse this trend with the new Leclerc/Hamilton duo. Despite the significant reduction in his salary, Lewis Hamilton will remain the second-highest paid driver on the circuit, behind his Dutch rival, who pockets 64 million euros per season.
Ferrari and Hamilton, the perfect marriage?
By joining Ferrari, Lewis Hamilton has made his ambitions clear: he wants to put an end to the debate over who is the best driver in history. For the time being, despite his many records, the man with 104 pole positions is not unanimously acclaimed. Michael Schumacher is still on everyone's mind. Hamilton is probably aiming for his eighth world title, while Ferrari has not won a title since Kimi Räikkönen's victory in 2008. An eternity for the most successful team in Formula 1 history (16 titles).
Frédéric Vasseur, Scuderia Ferrari's managing director, is taking a huge gamble with two determined drivers, each with a big ego. The two sportsmen will certainly want to be number one in the standings for the whole season, while keeping an eye on Red Bull and Max Verstappen, who are as effective as ever.
In 2023, Lewis Hamilton finished third in the World Championship, 341 points behind Super Max and the Austrian team. The rivalry between the two drivers has diminished over the last two years due to the downgrading of Mercedes, but Ferrari continues to improve its car enormously and the battle between the two F1 behemoths could be rekindled in 2025, for a new duel at the top that is sure to delight all enthusiasts.
This article has been translated from Gentside FR.
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Sources used :
La Gazzetta dello Sport
La Stampa
