The F1 Show Special: Lewis Hamilton to Ferrari

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He stay focused give it everything going to be so close this is very tight I’m going wheel to wheel through goes Hamilton it’s not over yet Max champion of the world hello everybody Welcome to Formula 1 in 2024 a slightly earlier start than we would have anticipated it is the uh 1st

Of February and no doubt you’ve heard the news by now the biggest deal done on transfer deadline day is that of Lewis Hamilton who will be a Ferrari driver from 2025 we’ve had no official statements yet from Ferrari or from Mercedes we expecting one later tonight from Mercedes but yes the news that

After 12 years as a Mercedes Works team driver after six titles after everything they’ve been uh through he’s taking the decision to move to the schoolo what we did is I I got my shell out we sounded the alarm and you all answered the call well done everybody Welcome as I said

It’s not April Fool’s Day it’s the 1st of February Martin in all your years covering the sports can you can you remember a move as seismic as this one oh we’ve had a few I mean even Lewis leaving McLaren to go to Mercedes would would be on that list and Michael

Schumacher’s moves and ET and Senna leaving McLaren and going to to Williams of course so it’s of that magnitude I think it’s great news news for Formula 1 great news for Ferrari and Lewis don’t know how Mercedes will view it but it’s a new opportunity for them as well and I

Think it gives it’s what a story that’s going to be Lewis in Scarlet you you said though this is what the sport needed it is because we’ve just had a a a week of you know Lando settling in at McLaren for many many years for stappen at Red Bull George Russell at Mercedes

Lir resigned for Ferrari for a long time and it all looked a little bit static and it needed energizing and well we’ve got that haven’t we Damon karun Natalie we’ll come to you in a moment but we’ve got to get to to Jensen who has kindly

Taking time out I know he’s got to get onto the school run uh shortly so Jensen I know you’re waking up in in LA to this news uh how much of a surprise you spit out your lovely Californian granola at this one um surprised yeah I mean it’s uh

This is massive for the sport as as Martin already said um I you know if if Lewis stayed at Mercedes it kind of if they won races next year or didn’t win races it would have been good but having this shift to Ferrari is massive um I think it’s great

For the sport everyone’s going to have their eyes on on Formula One especially Ferrari and Lewis uh but also how we how he does up against charl L cler who has the contract so I’m guessing he’s the one that’s going to be along side Lewis at at Ferrari it’s a big deal making

This change in your career when you’ve been with one team for so long to suddenly jump into someone else’s team it’s tough so fair play to Lewis um it’s h it’s a toughy yeah I mean when when you when you think about this one in the grand scheme of things I suppose there’s

So many questions we could ask but how has he arrived at this decision and why now I I think you know obviously 12 years at at Mercedes is is longer than most people ever spending Formula 1 so spend it with one team and Achieve what they have maybe he’s he also wanted

Something different you know to spice it up a little bit we all get to that point in our career it’s like you know what I’ve done what I said out to achieve and you and you choose to retire whereas he’s gone the other route and gone you

Know what I feel like I need a change I’m going to go to Ferrari so uh it’s h it’s a big deal and um I cannot wait to see how he goes in the fr the weird thing is that it’s quite an early call right to to mention it this early on not

That it has been mentioned yet hopefully later today uh but it’s a year before he’ll be stepping into the Ferraris so how is the atmosphere going to be at Mercedes well you tell us I I mean how do you think both he and and Toto and

And George and the rest of the team are going to be able to deal with this for a for an entire season knowing that he’s going on to to the biggest rival it’s yeah it’s it’s not easy um what do they hold back from Lewis I mean

He knows the ins and outs of this team very well anyway but um when they get down to the nitty-gritty are there going to be certain things they hold back from Lewis possibly um and you know for George he’s got to start thinking about a new teammate again is it going to be

Someone like you know uh one of his carting Rivals Alex Alvin or is it g to be Fernando Alonso the guy that just doesn’t go away he’s always there fighting for the top spots in the top teams so who knows and it this definitely makes it an interesting year for us

Looking forward to 2025 already we still have another year of Formula One to look forward to but 20125 yeah this is proper exciting but for Lewis this is a brave move and a lot of respect to him because he’s not just going to another team he’s

Going to Ferrari he’s going to a team where they speak Italian a language he doesn’t know a language that sh does know very well this is this is a Big E so uh yeah I’m excited for this and this is as everyone has already said is great

For F1 well I mean you his teammate for for a long period of time McLaren just explain that lure and particularly for Lewis The Lure of of Ferrari his great hero at and S Sena never made it um to to to get into to the red overalls but

He is going to do that and I wonder if it’s completing a dream for him I think for all of us you know we were all little kids one day a long time ago and you see the red Ferrari and you think I want to race for that team so

Yes uh it’s a biggie and you know I I didn’t get the chance to raise Ferrari it was very very close contract’s almost in hand um but uh yeah I think this is a this is a special one for him and I I just you know we’re looking into the

Future too far but I I just hope it goes well for him because ending your career when you’ve had such highs ending it with a team that and you don’t perform there It’s Tricky but I I look forward to seeing Lewis and I think Lewis is in a place

Where he’s got a lot of confidence at the moment in himself I think he’s driving at his best uh and if he can carry that over to Ferrari yeah we’re looking forward to a great fight between him and sha okay um we’re going to save

This chat to the end I will with you lot don’t worry but we’ve only got you for a short moment so who if you’re going to put you know a couple of bucks on it who who would you say will be alongside him in the car alongside George in the car

After this alongside I mean I have to say yeah I might have a man crush on my ex- teammate fern alono but I would love to see Fernando Alonso you know he is 42 now I think but the hung is there and if the hunger is there the fitness is there

He drives every day he’s driving a go-kart or some sort of race car if it’s there I think it’ be a cool partnership I think they’d learn from each other pretty well and I think they’d work well together you can bet your bottom dollar

He is going to be all over this no doubt about it Jensen thanks very much is the sun shining on the way to on the way to school this morning uh no it’s actually raining today so yeah not yeah not the best weather but it doesn’t matter cuz this

News is exciting I’m going to tell my son HRI see if he if he’s excited about it there we go appreciate it see you soon Jensen thanks for your time enjoy that it’s all right for summer isn’t it Beverly Hills it’s raining in Beverly Hills right come on then Damon let’s get

Your reaction to this news it’s huge isn’t it it is I was you were talking about other uh events like this and I was thinking Manel that’s the only thing I can think of it’s sort of Mansel esque proportions where decided he was going to leave and he wasn’t going to sign for

Williams and he was going to go to the United States it was going back to those sort of days when you had big announcements and big shifts this is as Jensen said as we all were saying it’s huge for Formula One it’s really put a

Spring in the step of the start of the season and you know things for us to talk about all season long and of course we’ve got a whole year now before he actually puts on the red overall so um it just rolls we don’t though we don’t

Dam look behind you cuz that’s what he’s going to look like okay and and I think it I think it suits him I think they can probably come up with something a bit better than that oh yeah that’s I knew you’d style it out with a

Trous you had you had to put the I’m melting into the sofa I’m sorry tell us what you what what your reaction well I think you can always judge how big news is by how much your phone blows up and you hear from people they haven’t bothered contacting you for your

Birthday for Christmas oh but they want to talk about Louis going to the Ferrari don’t they um I’m with Jensen though I’m curious as to why he’s made the decision now I don’t doubt why he’s made the decision I get the romance of every driver wanting to drive for ferari at

Some point in the career will close out their their career there but why make the decision now you’ve got the luxury of 2024 what does he know about this Mercedes that’s actually perhaps fueled the decision to come out a bit earlier or what does he know about the Ferrari

And 2026 yeah I mean look as as a man who’s had a subscription to aut sport since what I don’t know3 you you’ll have read every cover page to page since then but come on yeah listen you know as you say I I do love

My history and I I that’s what I woke up thinking this morning is there were parallels right Sebastian ble Lewis Hamilton went on a run of four consecutive World Championships had a year or in Lewis’s case two years without success and went to Ferrari and there’s absolute pars Manel you just

Mentioned great Runner form in the early in the mid 80s of Williams had a wobbly 1988 went to Ferrari there’s there’s that LW which draws these drivers man of course the last British driver to race for Ferrari so for me the timing I think I think you’ve got a really good point

There which is the timings suggests he doesn’t have the confidence that Mercedes are going to dig out of this hole quick enough for him to challenge Max LS Hamilton doesn’t exist to finish second he doesn’t care about being second third fourth in World Championship he probably doesn’t remember how many times he’s finished

Second third fourth he exists to win and he doesn’t think he’s going to get that chance at Mercedes so Kon has the Romanticism blurred to judgment then because why not learn from vettle it doesn’t mean just because you slip on those overalls it’s going to translate to

Success well this is the the answer that we want to know isn’t it what has Ferrari told him that is going to be special about the 26 car because it’s 25 is a transitional year isn’t a m like whatever we’re going to have in 24 they’ll pretty much evolve the cars for

25 because we have such a big regulation change coming in 26 so what has John elen and Fred vau told leis Hamilton about 2026 that is convincing to go there and you mentioned elen elen is is is potentially the key here isn’t he because we we understand they form quite

A tight Bond um what we hear behind the scenes and that they’ve been talking for a while since they met at an event there is this Romanticism that I I I think that we’re buying into and you’re talking about there but you can imagine for Lewis imagine what it would feel

Like for him in those over overalls to stand on the podium at monz or to go to sena’s Hometown and win win the Brazilian Grand Prix in the colors that he never will or get a night British Grand Prix win at silverston there’s so much there that you can you could look

At and think yeah I could see why he wanted to do that well something dissatisfied him at Mercedes-Benz there’s no doubt about that but I think also just I imagine Lewis looking back in the last couple of years hasn’t won a race realizes that his life has taken

Off all sorts of other extracurricular stuff and he wants to refocus on his on his racing needs a new challenge as he turns 40 and he’s brought Mark Hines back in his longstanding sort of right-and man at the tracker racer as it were and and I think this is Lewis going

Right I I want to refocus on my racing driving and I I want this Challenge and and I think also logistically of course um Ferrari were on the cusp of signing Carlos science they needed to know and we all know this business of Formula 1 that news would be out in a heartbeat

Some along the line so it might as well come out now and it does mean that Lewis will be um you know cut out of any knowledge through this season could the extracurricular stuff actually be the defining factor in all of this we we we’ve touched on it earlier about the

Fact that he could do huge amounts with Ferrari and their brand globally as he has with Mercedes been such a Trailblazer if anyone can achieve that it is Lewis Hamilton yeah but I think also he could have done a moss an A fangio and been a Mercedes Ambassador

For life he said that didn’t he he said in the past he he wants to be with Mercedes like Sterly Moss was for the rest of his life it’s so it I think that is you know what over the winter I watched on Sky documentaries there’s a agelli documentary about the Ferrari

Family and John Elan who’s um the nephew is is in there and you just fall in love with it don’t you you fall in love with the story there’s another one called I think race to immortality also so so and you there is something romantic about it

And he’s he’s Bor into it I think he’s an ambassador for Formula One not necessarily Mercedes and that’s perhaps what he sees as the opportunity but Dam I I want to come to you I know was a very different set of circumstances but when Benson broke the story was it

Hackenheim back in in in 1995 that you weren’t going to be driving for for Williams after 1996 you had to deal with with that that whole situation you want a championship in 96 but how difficult was it for you knowing that you know that kind of happened bit of shots to

The system it’s not quite like the situation Lewis has taken command of his career and his Direction it’s not like Mercedes has said to him always sign someone else which is what happened with me so but I think that in this decision I I just think that we know it’s a given

The Ferrari benefits of the brand and all the other things that come with romance and the history and all the that there a given but I think there’s more to this which is I I thought there was evidence that Ferrari were starting to solidify as a competitive package they

Were starting to put together the the components and they were starting to get results and I think if you had a choice between Mercedes giving you the same equipment and Ferrari I think for all the things that Martin was saying a spring in the step for your career I’d

Rather go to Ferrari and try something different I think that’s a sorry I think that’s a really good point because ultimately as I say he exists to win Charlotte cler qualified the front row the last five grand pris last year MH and I think Ferrari showed that upward

Trajectory yeah Le has got to make sure he goes to Ferrari and does a Michael schumacker and not a Sebastian V or a Fernando Alonzo that’s the problem ultimately though the Ferrari was the only other car aside from the rebel that won last year now I don’t let’s bring in

The man that broke the store I I feel I feel you look a bit awkward standing there that are me from to I don’t think I’ve ever SE you it’s a never see it again it’s a momentous day it’s a momentous day um look you you broke the

Story on Sky Sports News Talk us through the chronology of this I can only take sort of multiple credit for for ultimately breaking it because it was on the the corera de laera newspaper this morning that I spotted this story about project Hamilton and Ferrari targeting

Him which I posted on our WhatsApp Group which brought out the it’s April Fools Day not February the 1st today but I think the chronology is interesting listen it looks like a fate to comp now but it is interesting that it seems that all day today Mercedes have been

Absorbing and adjusting to this news that I have not been able to be briefed by anyone from Mercedes even asking the kind of questions about you know was all this kind of mutually amicable breakup that they’ve had was it on the horizon as well none of that’s been explained to

Me yet maybe it will come out along those lines in at the end of today but I mean in terms of how it all unfolded today yes it was in the Italian press we rang as a as a as the usual uh usual protocol you do both teams and a flat no

Comment from both Ferrari and Mercedes so then you cast around a bit wider multiple team principles saying No this is happening I know this is happening it will be formally announced by the end of today and some leadership figures from within Formula 1 saying the same thing

But I have to say even as I rang it in and put the phone down I thought my goodness surely there’s a chance this isn’t right today but of course we have had the meeting at Mercedes which we’ll hear about shortly but interestingly the the scant you know comment I’ve had from

Behind the scenes does back up this notion that this has been a courtship over some months that this has unfolded over some months but it seems to me with Mercedes with with no obvious replacement standing by and having to have Lewis Hamilton at the team for a further year maybe new about it

Happening than than than than Ferrari did have they been left rather exposed by all of this we’ll have to wait and see what they say so lesson to you all that that’s a news hound that’s how he does it okay uh but yeah I mean one

Thing I I’m really curious to know is Toto Wolf’s reaction to this because let’s go back to Nico rosberg okay again it took him it caught them out of the blue didn’t it Mercedes and do you feel that this has absolutely blindsided them well first we heard this morning that

That Toto was going to come to the factory to present his message then it ended up being by video link um normally there’s such a well oil old machine if something like this happens there’s a news conference called and they explain their side of things they’re in control

Of of of the of the chronology and and the time scale and how things are happening none of that today I’m not saying he was entirely blindsided let’s see I guess there’s two possibilities here one that Lewis Hamilton had a break clause in his contract or second that

The close relationship between Lewis and Toto allowed Lewis to come to Toto and say this is what I want to do and Toto W says I respect the fact that what you’ve given to the team and uh yes I understand where you’re coming from better that you go than stay okay any

Word from there sorry I was so you know who you know who um one of Toto’s closest friends is Fred Fred vaser the bo of Ferrari but that’s another question to what extent and yes Fred and Lewis get on well but to what extent has this come directly from John Elan if

We’re on Deadline day is this a bit like the chairman or chief executive signing the player rather than the team manager who we were given to understand was prioritizing engineering recruits I’m sure he’ll be delighted to have Lewis Hamilton but uh yeah I mean the initial

Thought was this story in the paper was to drive down Carlos signs his terms for his contract extension not so but the fact that Mercedes announced on the 31st of August that Lewis and George are staying for the next two years you know as a team boss and as a team

They must have thought okay the driver’s stuff is done is it we put that to the back of my mindal let’s focus on sing the car out and that’s why I think I agree with you they must have been caught unawares here because this is it’s only been five months and we

Haven’t even started the new contract we haven’t started a first race but I’m not sure you can compare it to the rosberg situation because that really was at the end of the season and he was panicking to try and get another driver for the start of the next year he’s got a year

Now to really consider his options just finally conspiracy theories and all the rest of it and who knew what and how early do you think there’s a link between Lando Norris McLaren signing him up long term and maybe McLaren being aware that this was on the horizon and that Mercedes would Target Norris

Potentially what happens when you’re new get bed down with conspiracy theories he says he’s very glad that he did that deal because Mercedes are now looking around for someone like him surely I’m trying to work out where gter Steiner comes into this sure he can find it all happened at a similar

Time we mustn’t forget though Carlos SCS what’s the word from from from his camp and where does he now look is is Ali do you think the option come 20 26 when they come into the sport well I think we are hearing that perhaps he had sight of

This at least a couple of weeks ago maybe others in this room will be able to back that up that’s what I’ve been told well at least he knew that he was not getting a new deal a couple of weeks ago so whether he knew that Lewis was

Coming in or not or or then then I you know that that’s I can’t ascertain that at this at this stage but certainly yeah he now needs to find another pathway but if Mercedes had wanted signs if he was a candidate why not make a straight swap

Now and and and uh and maybe not sit out for a year with a driver on his way out they might still do that we don’t know that yeah at the moment but yeah you’re right gazetta sport have run something on that do you want another another hug

Just an awkward handshake or do you want to just go that way that thanks Craig appreciate you get back to that news desk love it and let’s bring in Rachel who is uh up in Brackley and and Rachel we understand there was this uh emergency meeting at 2:00 this

Afternoon um what sense you get from that uh any word of what was said and what what’s the general reaction coming out um from there well we got here just before 2:00 Simon and we saw staff te steing into the building the car Parks filled up

There was no space anywhere and by by quter 2 everyone was leaving it was a really short meeting Toto as you heard from Craig he wasn’t here present at the meeting we thought he would be he wasn’t he appeared online he’s abroad right now which perhaps tells you a little bit to

Just how surprised they were that this all came out today maybe when we started this morning and the rumors were circulating I’m not sure any of us thought it would actually be confirmed as quickly as that but as soon as we heard there was a meeting here for and

All staff had been called in it looked more and more likely um we know that that’s what they were told today that Lewis will leave at the end of 2024 and he’s going to Ferrari for 2025 we expecting a statement later on this evening but I just wonder how many signs

There were for this in June last year I sat down with Fred verer and he said to me I’m bringing in some big signings watch this space with that twinkle in his eye that he has we also saw Lewis and his us Bas management company copper

Their contract came to an end at the end of December of 2023 and he’s brought Mark Hines back in Mark left his employment at the start of 2021 he’s back on board his longtime friend and are they building this unit again to take to Ferrari has this been in the

Offing for a while and as far as I’m aware Lando Norris actually wanted to sign with McLaren from somewhere through the mid part of last year he was making noises that he wanted to stay with the team longer term so his deal may have been in the offering for a little bit

Longer than we imagined but right now yes as you say everyone here there were a few few chopped faces as they left today but certainly this season’s had a fire put under it hasn’t it it’s going to be very exciting to see what happens this year in that interim year and who

Ends up here at Brackley in the future but as I said Fred said he was winging in a big signing and they don’t get much bigger than the seven time world champion do they no they don’t and Rachel come on we might as well ask you

You’ve had a a lot of time to think about this today who would you put your money on to to to replace him in a year’s time that’s caught you that’s a really good question I want to see how Kimmy Antonelli does the Young jior driver they’ve brought in a

Lot of noise is being made about him but in a year’s time is probably too soon for him so I guess you’re looking I mean Fernando would be the dream wouldn’t it I’ve kept my eyes peeled today I’ve tried to see if he’s coming in Disguise

Haven’t been able to spot him as yet but I’m sure Toto’s phone’s been ringing off the hook he would love a drive here wouldn’t he in maybe a year’s time um other than that that is a really difficult one my my first choice would be Lando but you

Would imagine that contract at McLaren is pretty watertight yeah I should imagine well well done for standing out in the cold today appreciate it Rachel we’ll let you get uh somewhere a little bit warmer let’s let’s pick up on on one of the points though that Craig was

Talking about and and Rachel touched upon there have been a few moments because they were such dogs of cars the W13 and the w14 Martin where where LS has has openly questioned the team he’s fallen out with with some of the technical staff not fallen out with them

But he’s he’s openly said look we’re going in the wrong direction guys how much do you think that was a factor I think he was frustrated by that you know we win together we lose together got a bit thin didn’t it after especially when the car was no better for

2023 and maybe he just lost trust in and that the team can find their way uh through and and and get back on the winning Trail and there are a lot of key people who’ve left the team as well yeah in that time and um you know I’m sure

All of these factors played into his decision and one of those people’s Lo sah as we understand who was the head of vehicle performance at uh Mercedes and was poached by um Ferrari he he’s gone across it seemed like Lewis was more aligned with him than he was underneath

Mike Elliott when he was in the kind of key technical position but Mercedes have changed a whole lot haven’t they you know James Allison has come back and actually you know reading some of the the interviews he did just before Christmas it sounded like he’d

Identified a lot of sort of key areas of weakness in the car for the last two years um you know you you mentioned there the car was a bit of a dog it did finish second in the Constructor champion ahead of Ferrari and I think

And I think where for me it gets really interesting is if this James Allison influence has come in and they have a good 2024 and they comprehensively beat Ferrari what’s going on in L’s head then because you know is has he made the wrong call he pulled a Blinder in 2012

To leave McLaren come to Mercedes at the right time um but I’m with Jensen it’s a brave move and it’s great for all of us it’s great for box office and I’m glad he’s done it um I’m excited to see how it plays up of course they did finish

Second in the champion The Constructor Championship but they never looked like threatening for a win and I think that would have been a massive frustration for him um can I say who I think who should have Mercedes second seat no not yet we’re waiting we’re wait hold off

Hold off Su it’s a whole other section we’ll wait for a moment it’s not bad for the share price either did you get on this morning and buy a few Ferrari shares I haven’t not that we knew that it was going to happen by that’s yeah yeah

Okay moving on Cave that but I’m just thinking I’m just thinking I mean there’s two there’s two aspects to to what Natalie was just saying about what you know replacement and going through the season it’s a bit of an awkward one isn’t it you turn up you’ve just told

Everyone that you’re leaving but you’re still working with them all for an entire year and but uh this is this is the last har if you like with uh with Mercedes you know they could provide him with a championship winning car he could still leave Mercedes with another with

His eighth World title and that’d be great but if he doesn’t win the I love all those first Corner moments as well when Hamilton in a Mercedes you know crashes with lir and a Ferrari through this year or something like all of the all of the sort of Jeopardy you get in

This intervening time his team will be much more guarded with him knowing that he’s going yeah but think think of lir as well you know you mentioned he’s just signed a new contract long term he he signed that thinking I am Ferrari’s man I am going to be king of the castle and

All of a sudden it’s like oh you’re bringing this PL alongside who was quite good quite a lineup though isn’t it but I’m also fascinated by the cultural differences that he’s going to experience I mean obviously learning the language but he’s got a year to do that

I can imagine him frantically doing the Italian tapes and and learning how to communicate because that is crucial we saw that with Seb just how important that was but culturally we know that they are very very different to Mercedes and I’m fascinated to see how he’ll cope

With that I just want to hear Lou speaking Italian that would be fantastic maybe natural you never never know Fred doesn’t speak a whole lot of Italian does he English is the first language in in the sport even with Ferrari it’s ridiculous and of course Lewis will be very comfortable with Fred

Vas wasn’t he came through the junior ranks with him they won together so I think that’s a really important comfort zone for Lewis to make this step okay um let’s let’s cross to Italy now uh and we can join uh Carlo see our Italian colleague uh Carlo you know I obviously

Broke at what just after midnight in in Italy talk us through your your morning obviously Front Page News how has the the country reacted to this first of all I don’t believe that leis will talk Italian because it’s not so easy uh what do we expect that he

Talk his language that is to drive stronger and try to win the championship of the eigh champ chionship with uh with Ferrari um you are right we were last night at midnight the with some rumors before in the afternoon that uh maybe uh there were some problem with the um

Carlos contract there was not the sign on it so we were asking why why they’re waiting for this there was some problem about rights of uh Carlos and uh uh later the later day we heard about leou and was crazy was impossible for us then we have Teri that is our

Colleague from K de with Danielle spish and they decide to write the story the story is that uh leis will arrive and uh is one of that marriage that you have to have uh because we know in the last 10 years almost three times John Elan and

Ferrari were close to to close with uh leis and an agreement and uh I agree with with you everybody that is quite a great story for Formula One for Ferrari for Italian fans because is from since this morning that I received message that is like Ferrari has won the

Championship but not yet but I I think that but we are Italian this is the way that we we we live and we love this sport is the same situation that we had when uh aneli uh Andre anelli decided to buy uh to buy Ronaldo for Juventus and the last

But not least is that we’re looking at the result on the stock market and today also for because they announced the the result of the last quarter uh they Ferrari earn five billion so they can buy 50 time 500 times I think uh leou at the

Moment so this is the situation and uh all people are crazy are crazy for that and uh we don’t matter about uh about the age the age is not a matter at the moment the only matter is that L Hamilton will come in Ferrari 20 15 we

Think maybe before because F would like before poor poor Carlos for that but we will see okay well we will see um but but with regards to that I’m fascinated by what the toosi will think of this because they’ve taken charl to their heart as as kind of the number one I

Would have thought despite the fact that Carlos has been so successful versus him as well how how are they going to play this who’s going to be the more popular driver will they all just defect to Lewis or will it just be oh we don’t

Mind it’s just the team and we just want the team to win but I I think that the situation is not so easy uh okay today is a fantastic day when we will will have the official announcement on where for the first time Lis will dress on red uh what we know

That on Monday there is an appoint there will be an appointment with the Carlos for an event close here to Milan what we know is that for Carlos for him is at the moment sure that he will drive for Ferrari in 20 2024 and what we know also that uh is

Not to worry about is a week that uh his group and Carlos know that LE is coming so last week they knew and I think that also charl knew before sign the new contract about the is and um uh he’s not to worry at the moment I think that they

He will have so many opportunities with Aston Martin probably with Audi uh with W with which uh the father has won the for the car and uh um what will happen on on track we will see we will see the most important thing is to see if Ferrari will be competitive if Mercedes

Will be competitive and at the moment when the team will ask to Carlos to give the way to charot or or Lewis to give position to George maybe we’ll enjoy that moment uh but uh I think that Carlos is quite a professional driver I think that he has has done and he will

Do a great job with uh with Ferrari and uh is a strange season for for for everybody for Ferrari for Mercedes for L for charotte uh for everybody then but we are dreaming we are dreaming with this uh uh with the the old Champion when the the young boy that want to

Become world champion or maybe at the end we will have like Aon and alen with theen that was the champion andon has to win then they fight but I don’t know uh the the most important think that today we have quite a big story for Formula 1

For sport and for leis I I have only a thing to to to tell you um one day I was in Hungary you know that in Hungary in the padock there is a a a little table to play tennis table and I play with uh uh Anthony Hamilton uh his father and

Talking I asked him okay but L will will come in Ferrari a day or not I think it was five or six years ago and he told me for sure we started our career in Italy and we would like to close the career in Italy dressing on red and now I I

Thought that was not possible with the last contract Le with the Mercedes but now uh it becoming reality and is a a dream that uh uh become a a great story for everybody thank you Carlo we appreciate it I think Carlo’s excited I think I think sounds like that it sounds

Like the PO of a movie this doesn’t it maybe a Brad Pit movie I mean it’s he’s almost like he’s living he’s living the ex the exact dream of it’s just the story line of this thing imitating life and all that the other way around um interestingly I

Don’t believe although it might not feel it at the moment that this is bad news for Carlos signs I think ultimately he will go to Audi and really shape that team around him this could be the best thing for his career what he does in that interim year will be interesting I

Think this is worst news for Charla Clair because I think that this does upset the apple cart for him yeah you know he was starting to really kind of bed in and you know p with Fred vaser and now Lewis is Pia with Fred vaser

Yeah but this is not a sport about being friends and ultimately Carlos is going to be he’s been booted out of one of the top three cars on the grid and a car that gave him victory at the Singapore Grand Prix and that’s bad news and Audi

They’re not going to arrive and be at the front of the Grid it’s years away and I think Young I think yeah but everyone’s sort of connecting it him to Audi because of the connection with his dad reality is I I could see him going to Aston I could see him on

The phone to Toto he wants to be winning now he’s in his 30s he can’t wait years for AI to get there talking of his dad just won dhar again hasn’t he and and I wonder how heavily he’ll lean on him for support at a very difficult time for him

In his career yeah I think he’s uh you know it’s brilliant What Carlos senior done I mean he’s just a phenomenon I mean King caros rally driver I mean just he’s just brilliant but and an inspiration for junior as well so um definitely they’ll be getting together and thinking right what’s the the

Strongest Way Forward you know and it it might be um can he go to Mercedes I mean would make sense wouldn’t it yeah yeah I I’m a big fan of his Carlos Junior I I think he’s got the tenacity of his dad I don’t think he’s got the speed of

Charlotte Clair but he’s there at the end of a Grand Prix and and that a very good very smart and the way he won in Singapore was outstanding so he would be a great catch for Aston Martin for Mercedes Benz he’s got to be on their

List um for so as Alex Al we’re not there yet no no we’re not back off um you know and he’ll be casting around all the teams but of course you know Carlos now faces the same problem we were talking about earlier on is so many other drivers have now got

Long-term deals and have really nailed nailed the the their seats down so um he’ll be Crest falling I think to lose that Ferrari drive but I I think he’s a he’s a star of the future but they managed his they’ve got a good team around him hasn’t he you just feel that

And they’ve managed his career well to get him into that Ferrari in the first place yeah or Red Bull Red Bull hey that’s to he could could he go back to Red Bull and be with his old teammate from from Toro Rosso about this news it is because we’re just we’re going to

Keep talking about it yeah uh but but look we had hints we had hints as early as as 2021 this is what lwis had to say at the Italian Grand Prix it’s it’s definitely going to be crazy to think that I never drove a f drove for Ferrari because that was a you

Know for everyone that’s a dream position to be in but it just never it was just never really fully on the cards for me um and I’ll never know fully exactly why but I wish them all the best and um I’m going to spend the next bit of my time

Stopping them from winning the championship um but of course I look at the pictures that these two drivers post and the red is still it’s still the red he said itch he had to scratch isn’t it but interestingly he’s also said he didn’t understand why the opportunities haven’t come sooner so presumably they

Hadn’t made an explicit direct offer to him until now yeah that was a very interesting comment in hi highight wasn’t it I don’t know why it hasn’t worked out as if there was something to work out but um I mean the number of times on skyf one we’ve we’ve asked

Lewis um about you know do you not fancy finishing your career and red and all that sort of thing and he’s always of course he’s just giving it a straight B hasn’t he because what else could he do but he’s also he’s also very canny as

Well he knows he doesn’t want to offend Ferrari by saying oh I’d never drive for Ferrari or something he you know he’s saying all the right things but also he’s probably saying between the lines I’m I’m actually better right that time he you know better off where I am at

Mercedes so maybe another time and and this is the time it seems like the time has come when the the balance tipped in their favor and he’s gone there for me it it’s a sign that he’s still got the fire on his belly you know at a point

Where he’s about to start his 18th season in Formula 1 you know that’s 18 years where he’s spending 300 days living out of a suitcase on the road events you know they’re not doing as much testing as they were back the day but it’s still you know a tough mental

Load to take um especially when you’re at the sharp end at the Pinnacle and the pressure he’s under so to still have that motivation I mean I’d like to get your take on it because you know that’s something you’ve talked about openly you are burn I gave up you were burnt out

Didn’t you in the middle of 99 but for him to still have that that fire to take on a young charger like shair who I’ve said before and people have disagree with me but I still think he’s the fastest driver of one lap in F1 to take

That challenge on at this age after this length of time is impressive I think it’s very interesting uh Lewis studies other athletes is it Tom Brady who car and also um Kelly Slater who carried on his career way into um his his 40s I think and you know he’s still

Competitive and I think he he sees beyond Lewis sees uh Beyond normal limits he always has done and I think that uh he he’ll be motivated he’s he’s organized his life in a way that he can give his best not put himself under so much stress doing marketing stuff you

Know he does what he wants and then he turns up in races I think he’s got quite a few years left of being competitive you have to remember drivers now have been racing since they were five six seven eight and that’s all they’ve ever known in their lives and they they run

Out of steam but I I think you lose the need you don’t necessarily use lose the speed but there are two exceptions Fernando Alonso and leis Hamilton that we’re seeing at the moment that somehow find this motivation this energy that they have and just keep driving forward

Okay well let’s move on a couple of years so he then renews a contract doesn’t he on on August the 31st I think of of last year and this is what he had to say at the Italian Grand Prix following that well the goal within those two years is 100% to to be

Fighting and to win a world championship um you know we’re second in the Constructor Championship now is to Dethrone those that are at the top and that’s I 100% have faith that we can do that um in terms of long term yeah I’m thinking about my next contract I’m thinking

About uh what that would look like what uh how long that would be I plan to be here for a while but it could change like I could come back next year and it could be like damn it I’m you know who knows uh you never know where where

You’re going to be in life but uh right now I’m very focused on just my you know staying positive every day and I know that’s not easy for for anyone where’s he been in the offseason you follow I mean on Israel I don’t know what what’s happened here because it’s

Interesting picking up though hasn’t it maybe he’s had one of those kind of Life moments I’ve never heard of he always pops up doesn’t he yeah yeah he’s all over the place but but actually with regards to that some something’s flipped in the offseason here hasn’t it well I

Mean you get the opportunity just to take stock don’t you I mean it’s same for all of us yeah you have Clarity of thought prob come back thinking baby number three no I’m joking um you have Clarity of thought for the first time because the season is so intense

And just to be able to step back from it and really consider your options for the future I mean you see it in football you see it in all sports and it’s great for him the these are not inst you know moment matter of the moment decisions

After you’ve got contracts to sort out they take months and months to go through no you’re right this has Happ so there’s definitely been some longer term planning to this one yeah be a scratch golfer or or an astronaut more likely yeah sorry no you know what have you been thinking about you’re

Going to do with if you want to stop doing something and not doing anything else that’s fine but if you want to do something else you got to put the contract do you know what I do sense this has this has happened quite quickly in and I yes of course

There’s some gestation to the whole thing but I do sense he’s got up and gone right hang on a minute this this didn’t work the last couple of years I I he’s got Mark H in we talked about earlier on and and it’s almost like he’s getting his racing group back together

Again and just refocusing everything you know what I the other thing I was thinking about this morning when I on my way here is Lewis’s end of season last year didn’t go well he had a tough race in Brazil where they went backwards tires didn’t have a good run in Vegas

Had a bad run in Abu Dhabi and I wonder if this was weighing on his mind in that period of going hang on a second this is a bit of a slog here do I need a new challenge and listen it’s we’re all thinking of this in hindsight aren’t we

At the time we just go forms gone whatever there was a there was a time where he was pushing for second in the championship and then he had a handful of bad results czecho came back but I mean I wonder as you say whether it would be different that happened yeah so

There were rumors weren’t they early last year potentially he might have gone across to Ferrari and at the Monaco Grand Prix charlot Clair was asked what he might feel about having leis as his teammate okay look one final uh question for me charl there’s been a bit of

Speculation in the media recently with regards to your future partner at Ferrari um what do you look for in a teammate hello Lou um I mean a fast teammate as uh everybody we are in Formula One and we love to be uh fighting against the best um but that’s

Not to say that my teammate is not fast caros is an extremely um fast driver um but yeah considering that I mean I’m not the person who makes the choices so um yeah let’s see would you welcome Le if I say yes I imagine it being the

Title of all every newspaper but uh I mean LS is such um an incredible driver has achieved so much in the sport so uh I think anybody on the grid will love to have Louis as a teammate uh as everybody will learn a lot from him um

But yeah again I’m I’m happy where where I am and and with caros it’s a great relationship too very diplomatic yeah yeah put yourself in his show shoes there this evening there we go that is Lewis Hamilton’s F1 career uh it is an unparalleled uh record in terms of the

Amount of wins and pole positions that he’s had uh he got 21 of his wins with McLaren 82 of his wins with Mercedes and you just go down there and he is just mased an incredible Legacy it’s seven championships yes it probably could should have been eight but he’s got that

Opportunity now to secure that with uh Ferrari outside of the Mercedes family because obviously Mercedes were an engine supplier for McLaren during that time as as well you picked up on a really interesting part I thought Martin with regards to the the relationship with Fred vur let’s not forget yes LS

Has got history with Fred verer but so too has Charlotte Clair how’s that going to get managed and and again what do you think sh will be thinking this evening I think sh will look at how George Russell handled being up against Lewis and I think George has been

Supremely smart and fast and good as to how how he did that um I don’t see charl is not a really spiky kind of aggressive kind of personality I think he’ll work with it he’ll see an opportunity I can measure myself against statistically the greatest of all time is what charlot and

It’s my patch as well this is where I’ve been now for a long time but now he’s got his hands full but I I think charl is now experienced enough and fast enough to to handle that especially as he’s so well established at Ferrari Lewis won the Formula 3 European

Championship with Fred’s AR team in 2005 gp2 in 2006 but you know you can see the picture we’ve just seen but I I remember in Magny cor 2007 his first year with McLaren um we were at the restaurant and Fred V was sitting at the next table to

My dad me and Louis walked in and and sat down and had a it was just the two of them having a sort of private dinner and I always thought that was you know an interesting it’s been a long time ago well it’s been a long time ago I didn’t

Know you there7 um but you know it was one of those things where you think he still had that you know that friendship it’s like I need a confidant here to talk about this intense battle I’m with I’m in with Lonzo at McLaren and Fred was that person I still remember that um

And that matters in the sport doesn’t it also do you I’m pretty sure wandering around places like Monza if Ferrari couldn’t win the famous tifosi were happy that Lewis was winning he’s been very popular over in Italy hasn’t he I I think they’ll go mad for him I think he

Be super comfortable of that of the podium in Monza and him just lapping it up I’m sure that image alone would be very persuasive he’s very very quick over one lap we all agree on that point with charl but wheel to wheel can he go

Can he go wheel to wheel with Lewis and come out on top do you think I think Lewis has got that um experience the patience he’s learned to be patient he knows he can use the speed if he’s got if he needs to I think Charles I’ve seen

And you’ve commented enough times Martin you know there’s every occasion where there’s occasional times where he makes mistakes and he he drops the ball but um he’s been getting better at that but I think that Lewis will be looking at Char’s and thinking I can get him in

Races I think I’m a better racing driver it may be that charl can pip him in a over one lap okay right now we’re going to finish with the question you’ve probably all answered uh already but who is going to replace come on now you you

You can start with I would going to replace Al Alor in there you would yeah quite simply why I think he deserves it I think actually going to Williams was brilliant for his career boosted his confidence but now it’s time for him to take the step back towards the front of

The grid well they’ll be looking at Fernando Alonzo Alex albon don’t forget es B oon is in their is within the Mercedes family anyway he’s kind of on loan to Alpine um Carla sence has got to be on their list um and and that’s I think that’s the short list I’d like to

See either caros SS or Oscar pastri I think you know we know Oscars got a contract with McLaren but uh Mark Weber’s negotiated plenty of F1 contracts in his past and I’m sure there’s got to be an escape Clause somewhere as we’ve seen with Lewis there Escape somewhere Oscar’s debut season

Was brilliant he had weaknesses his race Pace no doubt about it but another year of experience will build on that and I think Oscar and George as a lineup at Mercedes is is a is a good one for the fut but if you’re Oscar or mark would

You go to Mercedes when you’ve seen that Lewis has left and leave McLaren which actually may be a better bet you will if you think that well it’s whether you think it’s a better bet and I for me with the new engine formula coming in 26

I’d want to go to a Works team as Lewis did in 2014 George would be sitting there in Mercedes thinking right now’s my time he’s left now it’s me and he’ll be wanting to be regarded as the the future of the team and as the strong hope for everything so whoever comes

Alongside him is going to have to fit in with that but I think the fact that that we are not thinking in terms of Mercedes have got George Russell there and it’s going to be as strong as ever just shows you the size of the hole that Lewis has

Left well Alex and George your best mates remember yeah I’ve had I got on the phone to Nico rosberg earlier yeah coming back explosions going off behind him I think he’s coming back I think I’m going to bet on that or Sebastian vle out of retirement right or or not as the

Case may be there’s a lot of long shots there going to be a lot of discussion isn’t there about this personally I think you might be right there I think Alex album’s a very very good bet but waiting in the wings as we know uh Kimmy Antonelli who is part the 17-year-old

Italian Driver part of that Mercedes young driver program they’ve got Great Hopes for him into F2 skipping one uh for this year and we’ll be taking a keen interest on how he goes this year but there we go we’ve got something to talk about haven’t we at the start of this

Year it’s not all going to be out Max dominating again because uh Lewis in a year’s time is going to for Ferrari it puts the cat amongst the proverbial pigeons and it’s not long to wait though until the first race of 2024 testing is before then but from February the 29th

To March the second that first Grand Prix of the new season and this will make it even spicier thank you Damon thank you Kar thank you Mar thank you natal thanks to Jensen and and Craig as well and toor but there we go and ra yeah how about that yeah you’re right

How about that for a start uh to 2024 next year Lewis will be dressed in red bye-bye Skys Sports F1 feel it all