Lewis Hamilton reveals motivations behind leaving Mercedes for Ferrari
Lewis Hamilton’s announcement that he was moving to Ferrari from Mercedes for the 2025 Formula 1 season sent shockwaves through the motorsport world last year.
Now, with his debut season at Ferrari getting underway with F1 pre-season testing in Bahrain this week Hamilton’s move is becoming global news.
Time magazine unveiled its cover for the March 14 issue on Thursday, featuring Hamilton on the cover along with Aroma, a black stallion that conjures up the imagery of a prancing horse, the iconic Ferrari logo. In a wide-ranging discussion with Sean Gregory, Hamilton opens up on his decision to leave Mercedes, his interests away from the sport, and his F1 legacy.
Regarding his decision to leave Mercedes, Hamilton told Gregory that it was a matter of not sitting still, and tackling another series of “firsts” in his career.
“You can’t stand still for too long. I needed to throw myself into something uncomfortable again,” said Hamilton. “Honestly, I thought all my firsts were done. Your first car, your first crash, your first date, first day of school. The excitement I got by the idea of, ‘this my first time in the red suit, the first time in the Ferrari.’ Wow. Honestly, I’ve never been so excited.”
How excited?
“I remember getting off the phone and, like, almost shaking. I was like, ‘Oh God,” said Hamilton regarding the first call with Ferrari.
That call came right after Hamilton had decided to re-sign with Mercedes. “I literally just signed with Mercedes … It was a lot to take in, and my emotions were really high,” admitted Hamilton. “So I honestly had to go for a walk.”
Still, Hamilton eventually collected his nerves, and following a few days of “meditation” he ultimately decided to leave Mercedes — and seven F1 Drivers’ Championships — following the 2024 season for a new journey at Ferrari. “My eyes felt really calm and present,” he says in TIME. “This is the right thing for me.”
Hamilton admits that there are skeptics, from around the F1 world who question his decision, and whether the veteran driver can still compete for a championship at his age, even coming after he returned to the top step of the podium twice last year with wins at Silverstone and Spa. However, the seven-time champion welcomes the “negativity” as he embarks on this new chapter.
“I’ve always welcomed the negativity. I never, ever reply to any of the older, ultimately, white men who have commented on my career and what they think I should be doing,” said Hamilton. “How you show up, how you present yourself, how you perform slowly dispels that.”
Hamilton also truly believes that he and new teammate Charles Leclerc can lead Ferrari to their first Constructors’ Championship since 2008. “I know where I need to go. I know how to get there. It’s far, and it’s going to be tough to get there, but I know I’ve got all the ingredients, all the people, an amazing team around me. So it’s how much you want it.
“And I can’t express to you how much I want it.”
The March 24, 2025 issue of TIME goes on sale on Friday, March 14, just days before Hamilton’s first race with Ferrari, the Australian Grand Prix, takes place in Melbourne.
