Lewis Hamilton’s is more likely to be in a 2022 machine at first of subsequent yr, with the driving force and Mercedes having “collectively determined” in opposition to the seven-time world champion participating within the post-season tyre check in Abu Dhabi for the Scuderia.
Ferrari had been hopeful that Hamilton, 39, to participate within the Abu Dhabi check. However Hamilton shall be in Kuala Lumpur honouring a longstanding dedication to the staff’s title sponsors Petronas.
Workforce sources instructed Hamilton and Mercedes staff principal Toto Wolff did focus on whether or not it may be possible to change plans, however collectively determined it might be higher to honour that look, and different end-of-year obligations again within the UK, with a view to “finish the connection in the suitable approach”.
It’s understood that no official request was put in by Hamilton to exit his contract early. Certainly, he’s stated to be enthusiastic about making his Ferrari debut at Fiorano, which is correct subsequent to the staff’s Maranello headquarters.
Hamilton, essentially the most profitable driver within the historical past of the game, is becoming a member of Ferrari subsequent yr after 12 seasons with Mercedes – and 18 with the German producer’s engines.
Ferrari staff principal Fred Vasseur informed Autosport that the provisional plan to get Hamilton up to the mark was to make use of 1 or two of the squad’s ‘Testing of Earlier Vehicles’ days.
Method One’s TPC guidelines enable groups to run vehicles that had been “designed and constructed with a view to adjust to the technical rules of any of the three calendar years falling instantly previous to the calendar yr previous the yr of the championship”. This implies Hamilton will probably make his debut in a 2022 Ferrari, the primary designed for the brand new period of ground-effect rules.
“I’m undecided that he wants tons of hours of acclimatisation,” Vasseur stated. “He’s skilled sufficient to be fast on the primary day, or not less than very quickly. We’ll have one or two TPC days, plus the [pre-season] check in Bahrain, and that shall be sufficient.
“For certain we now have a part of the staff already specializing in ’25, on the check plan, on the communication and so, with Lewis being a part of this. However not on the race staff and it’s not on my thoughts.”
Hamilton is being changed within the Mercedes line-up by 18-year-old rookie Kimi Antonelli, who will drive alongside Briton George Russell.
Malone, 83, to take cost of F1 proprietor
In the meantime, Method One proprietor Liberty Media has introduced that its president and chief government Greg Maffei will go away his position on the finish of the yr. The 64 year-old grew to become CEO of the corporate in 2006 and oversaw the agency’s acquisition of F1 in 2017.
Maffei shall be changed on an interim foundation by Liberty Media’s chairman and largest voting shareholder, 83-year-old John Malone.
