01 February 2024 , 19:38
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Lewis Hamilton insists he's "100 per cent committed" to ending his Mercedes career on a high after it was confirmed that the Formula 1 icon would be leaving his team after 11 years.
Hamilton, 39, has won six of his seven world championship titles with Mercedes but the 2024 campaign will mark his 13th and final one racing for the Silver Arrows, as Ferrari will acquire his services in 2025,. Despite signing a new multi-year deal just five months ago, the Brit has chosen to move on at the end of this season in "one of the hardest decisions" in his career, as a contract clause has allowed him to make the switch.
In a statement released following Thursday's bombshell news, and before Ferrari confirmed the move, Hamilton declared: "I have had an amazing 11 years with this team and I'm so proud of what we have achieved together. Mercedes has been part of my life since I was 13 years old.
"It's a place where I have grown up, so making the decision to leave was one of the hardest decisions I have ever had to make. But the time is right for me to take this step and I'm excited to be taking on a new challenge.
"I will be forever grateful for the incredible support of my Mercedes family, especially Toto (Wolff, Mercedes' team principal) for his friendship and leadership and I want to finish on a high together. I am 100 per cent committed to delivering the best performance I can this season and making my last year with the Silver Arrows, one to remember."
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Your turn! Is leaving Mercedes a wise decision from Lewis Hamilton? Give us your stance in the comments section.
Lewis Hamilton is poised to join Ferrari in 2025 (ANGELA WEISS/AFP via Getty Images)Wolff, who recently agreed to continue in his role as boss until 2026, added: "In terms of a team-driver pairing, our relationship with Lewis has become the most successful the sport has seen, and that's something we can look back on with pride; Lewis will always be an important part of Mercedes motorsport history.
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"However, we knew our partnership would come to a natural end at some point, and that day has now come. We accept Lewis' decision to seek a fresh challenge, and our opportunities for the future are exciting to contemplate. But for now, we still have one season to go, and we are focused on going racing to deliver a strong 2024."
Despite not winning a single race since 2021, Hamilton is aiming to win a record eighth world championship this campaign which would take him clear of F1 legend Michael Schumacher, who also boasts seven titles. Standing in his way is clear favourite and Red Bull star Max Verstappen, with the 2024 season set to get underway on Sunday, March 2 in Bahrain.