F1 UPDATE TODAY: Lewis Hamilton Ferrari debut BLOCKED over Mercedes contract complication… Read Details…
Kevin McKenna Wednesday 9 October 2024 08:27
Hamilton Ferrari debut BLOCKED over Mercedes contract complication
Photo: © IMAGO
Fans hoping to catch a glimpse of Mercedes star Lewis Hamilton behind the wheel of a Ferrari F1 car in 2024 are set to be disappointed.
The seven-time Formula 1 champion has just six grands prix remaining with the Silver Arrows before making the switch to the Italian giants as he looks forward to a new chapter in his illustrious career.
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Hamilton will hope a change in scenery sparks a change in fortune after enduring several years of frustration having been replaced by Max Verstappen as the sport’s dominant force in recent years.
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Ferrari fans forced to wait
It’s been a challenging final campaign at the team with which he delivered six of his world drivers’ titles, with Hamilton frequently voicing his displeasure over the performance of his car.
Their pace has left the team well short of either the constructors’ or drivers’ standings, with the team surely focusing their attention on getting ahead of their rivals – including Hamilton’s future employers – next season.
Regardless of how the rest of the season transpires and what goes down during the last race in Abu Dhabi, Hamilton will still be seen wearing Mercedes colours for a few weeks following the showpiece event.
Post-season testing will take place two days after the Abu Dhabi GP
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This means that any possibility of a post-season testing debut for Ferrari just days after the grand prix is firmly off the cards, with Hamilton still said to have sponsorship demands to fulfil at Mercedes.
Commenting on what the likelihood is that he could make an appearance in red on the test day, BBC F1 pundit Andrew Benson revealed: “Zero,”
“Hamilton is under contract to Mercedes until the end of the year, and they say he cannot test for Ferrari at the end of the season.
“They have a lot of promotional and farewell work to do after 12 years together – and 18 with Mercedes engines.”
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