P1racenews AI automatic summary:
Lewis Hamilton: Leaving Mercedes the "hardest decision"
Lewis Hamilton announced that he will be leaving the Mercedes Formula 1 team at the end of the year. He activated an exit clause in his contract, which allows him to join Ferrari in 2025. Hamilton spoke about his decision, saying that it was a tough choice to leave a team he has been with for 11 years, but he feels it’s the right time for a new challenge. He expressed his gratitude to the Mercedes family and stated his commitment to delivering his best performance in his final year with the team. Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff accepted Hamilton’s decision and expressed excitement about the future options for the team. However, he emphasized that the focus for now is on the upcoming season and delivering a strong performance in 2024.
