Ferrari targeting Lewis Hamilton for the 2024 F1 season: Reports

It looks like Ferrari F1 have not yet given up their hope to sign seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton from Mercedes.

There were several reports earlier this year claiming that the Brit might leave his German team to join the Prancing Horses. Although both Hamilton and Mercedes have maintained that they will continue and sign a new contract, a new offer proposed by the Italian team might spice things up a bit.

As per The Mail, Ferrari have offered Lewis Hamilton a contract worth in the region of £40 million. The report also states that if the 38-year-old joins Ferrari, there might be a swap deal between him and Charles Leclerc. The other option would be joining the team in place of Carlos Sainz, who might have to leave Ferrari amidst links to Audi in the future.

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"I don’t want to give Lewis Hamilton any advice because that would be disrespectful to Toto" - F1 boss

F1 CEO Stefano Domincali recently stated he was hopeful that Lewis Hamilton would continue to race come next season, but refused to give him any advice. According to Domincali, that would be disrespectful to Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff.

In his interview with Daily Mail, Domenicali said:

"I’d like him to stay in the sport 100 percent, 100pc– 1,000pc! I don’t want to give Lewis any advice because that would be disrespectful to Toto (Wolff, Mercedes’ team principal). And Lewis has such deep experience that I’m sure he doesn’t need my input because he knows what he wants."

"He loves our sport," he added. "He has been in it since he was a child. Now his role in F1 is getting bigger than an F1 world champion, given the way he gets involved in a lot of things outside the sport and takes an active role in society."

"He takes us toward new dimensions," Stefano Domincali continued. "But his love is Formula One, and, of course, he wants to achieve his dream of being the only driver to have won an eighth title. Toto is totally focused on making Mercedes improve. He told me he made adjustments within the team to be sure that there is the right intensity to gain performance as soon as possible. I am sure this will happen very, very soon."

It will be fascinating to see what Lewis Hamilton decides about his future in the sport with so many options open to him.