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F1's worst-kept secret is now out in the open as Mercedes has officially announced that Lewis Hamilton has signed an extension until 2025. This almost seemed like a formality as both parties had announced interest in continuing an association beyond 2023. There were rumors of a possible move to Ferrari for Hamilton, but looking at the form shown by the Italian team, it just did not make sense.
Lewis Hamilton has been a part of the team since 2013 when he decided to switch from McLaren. Since that time, the Briton has achieved a ton of success in the sport. In the meantime, there have been some interesting teammates as well.
Lewis Hamilton started his journey at Mercedes with Nico Rosberg, a partnership and rivalry that lasted four seasons and culminated with the German's retirement in 2016. Rosberg was followed by Valtteri Bottas, with George Russell being Hamilton's partner since 2022.
In the team's press release, Lewis Hamilton exclaimed that the team was hungry to win again. He said:
“We dream everyday of being the best and we have dedicated the past decade together to achieving that goal. Being at the top does not happen overnight or over a short period of time, it takes commitment, hard work and dedication and it’s been an honour to earn our way into the history books with this incredible team."
He added:
"We have never been hungrier to win. We have learnt from every success but also every setback. We continue to chase our dreams, we continue to fight no matter the challenge and we will win again. I’m grateful to the team who have supported me both on and off the track. Our story isn’t finished, we are determined to achieve more together and we won’t stop until we do."
Lewis Hamilton will be teamed up with George Russell until 2025
Mercedes also announced an extension for George Russell until 2025. In the team's press release, the young driver looked back at his journey and was hopeful of success in the future. He said:
“I have grown up with this team ever since joining as part of the Junior programme back in 2017. It’s my home and it feels fantastic to extend our special relationship through 2025. After stepping up to the Mercedes race seat last year, I wanted to reward the trust and belief that Toto and the rest of the team placed in me. Taking my first pole position and race win last year was an unforgettable feeling."
He added:
"It’s been great to work with everybody at Brackley and Brixworth to make progress with our car and push forward our development. Their loyalty, vision and hard work is inspiring. “We have made some significant steps over the last 18 months and are only getting stronger as a team. I’m excited to help continue to build on that momentum as we progress into 2024 and 2025 as we continue to focus on returning to the very front of the pack.”
Mercedes will feature an unchanged lineup until 2025 and will be hoping for a return to its glory days with this pair.
