P1racenews AI automatic summary:
Lewis Hamilton has been plotting a move to Ferrari for over two decades, his new boss Frederic Vasseur has said.
Frederic Vasseur disclosed that he had conversations with Lewis Hamilton regarding a potential move to Ferrari back in 2004, a decision that became reality over two decades later in 2024. Hamilton decided to depart from Mercedes at the conclusion of the 2024 season, triggering a break clause in his contract that had been signed in mid-2023 before the 2024 campaign had begun. He will be teaming up with Charles Leclerc at Ferrari under Vasseur’s rejuvenated leadership, with the team coming close to clinching the constructors’ title in 2024. Vasseur mentioned that convincing Hamilton to switch from Mercedes to Ferrari was not too challenging, as they had already discussed the possibility during their time together at ART Grand Prix in junior categories back in 2004, when Hamilton was in the early stages of his career. Vasseur emphasized that the timing and circumstances aligned perfectly for Hamilton to join Ferrari, and their discussions about the contract began a year ago, ultimately leading to a smooth agreement. Despite maintaining contact with Hamilton for two decades, Vasseur exercised caution in their interactions in 2024, refraining from discussing technical collaborations out of respect for Mercedes and to avoid causing any complications in their relationship. The discussions between Vasseur and Hamilton mainly focused on the Ferrari project and did not involve technical matters, allowing the transition to Ferrari to proceed smoothly.
