Formula 1 World Champion Jenson Button reacted to yesterday's breaking news of Lewis Hamilton leaving his team to join Ferrari.
It still seems unbelievable to say it, but Leiws Hamilton is leaving the Mercedes F1 team to join Scuderia Ferrari. It was officially announced by Mercedes yesterday, and this is clearly happening.
The 39-year-old collected six of his seven World Championships with Mercedes, and it was considered a done deal that he would finish his career with the team, but he decided to make a brave move. Jenson Button told Sky Sports:
"[After] 12 years at Mercedes, that’s longer than most people spend in Formula 1. To spend it with one team and achieve what they have, maybe he’s also wanted something different to spice it up a little bit."
Hamilton turned 39 earlier this year and will be 40 by the time he joins Ferrari in 2025. Button pointed out the contrast between most drivers at this point in their careers and the seven-time World Champion.
"We all get to that point in our career where it’s like,’ You know what, I’ve done what I set out to achieve’, and you choose to retire. Whereas he’s gone the other route and gone, ‘You know what, I feel like I need a change. I’m gonna go to Ferrari.'"
The problem at the moment is that both Lewis Hamilton and Carlos Sainz need to spend one more year with their current teams despite everyone knowing they are not staying.
"So it’s a big deal and I cannot wait to see how he goes in the Ferrari. The weird thing is that it is quite an early call, though, to mention it this early on. It’s a year before he’ll be stepping into the Ferrari, so how is that atmosphere going to be at Mercedes?"
As both drivers will now clearly be leaving their teams, maybe some confidential information has to be held from them so they don't take it to their competitors.
"It’s not easy. What do they hold back from Lewis? I mean, he knows the ins and outs of this team very well anyway but, when they get down to the nitty-gritty, are there going to be certain things they hold back from Lewis? Possibly."
Ferrari has been considered Charles Leclerc's team from the announcement of his new contract, but with the arrival of the seven-time World Champion, things might get very interesting.
Will there be a number one driver? Who would be the number one driver? Hamilton surely wouldn't leave Mercedes for Ferrari to become a number two driver. Button added:
"For Lewis, this is a brave move and a lot of respect to him because he’s not just going to another team. He’s going to Ferrari, he’s going to a team where they speak Italian – a language he doesn’t know and a language Charles does know very well. This is a biggie."
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