P1racenews AI automatic summary:
The upper hierarchy at Mercedes was behind the decision to not grant Lewis Hamilton a longer Formula 1 deal than
Last August, amid speculation about his future, Mercedes confirmed that Lewis Hamilton had signed a two-year contract extension to stay with the team alongside George Russell until 2025. However, it was revealed last week that Hamilton negotiated an escape clause in his contract which allowed him to switch to Ferrari starting next year. Mercedes team principal, Toto Wolff, stated that the decision to include the exit mechanism was a conscious one, as they wanted to keep their options open. It is reported that Mercedes’ management was cautious about Hamilton retiring suddenly, like Nico Rosberg did in 2016, and therefore wanted a response about his future by the end of February. Hamilton’s move to Ferrari is believed to be motivated by positioning himself in the best environment for the 2026 rules reset, similar to when he switched from McLaren to Mercedes in 2013. There are rumors that several Mercedes engineers may join Hamilton at Ferrari, with Performance Director Loic Serra already committed to the Italian team.
