P1racenews AI automatic summary:
Mercedes knew risks of leaving exit clause in Hamilton F1 contract
Mercedes has confirmed that Lewis Hamilton will be leaving the team to join Ferrari starting in 2025. They had a two-year deal in place with flexibility for early termination, allowing both parties to make a change if performance expectations were not met. Hamilton exercised his contract’s exit clause and informed team boss Toto Wolff recently. Mercedes acknowledges that they were aware of the possibility of Hamilton leaving but were not interested in committing to him for a longer period. Ferrari’s willingness to offer Hamilton a long-term contract was a factor in his decision to make the move. While the rumors of Hamilton joining Ferrari have been circulating for a while, the timing of the announcement caught the Mercedes team by surprise.
