Lewis Hamilton RECAP: Seven-time World Champion set to make SHOCKING Ferrari switch for 2025 F1 season despite contract extension with Mercedes

That's all from us on the live blog. What a belter to start the day.

Stay tuned on the site for more reaction and everything else on this deadline day.

I'll leave one more link back to our report of the news.

Thanks all!

When all is said and done, Carlos Sainz is going to be without a team.

The Spaniard hasn't barked up too many trees with Ferrari but is still a talent. He's won two races, secured 18 podiums and five pole positions, having turned out for Toro Rosse, Renault, McLaren, and now Ferrari

There's little doubt he'll get a drive, but where? Williams?

My colleague Dan Cancian has put together a fantastic piece about how Hamilton and Ferrari have always been destined for each other.

It's the biggest name in the sport joining, well, the biggest name in the sport.

Hamilton could go past Michael Schumacher and cement his legacy as the greatest of all time in the car that made the German famous. Throw in his relationship with Vasseur, and it's a true fairytale.

And then there's his hero, Ayrton Senna.

Read the full piece below.

He may be one of the greatest drivers ever, but Hamilton has a fair few hobbies off-the-track, too.

In October, he told CNBC that expanding his business interests was vital in giving him balance.

He dabbles in producing, fashion, music, drinks... the list goes on.

Find out more about the man behind the car - soon to be a red one - below.

How does he look?

The boys at McLaren have been having a bit of a laugh with the news this morning.

Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris, who has just signed a new deal with his team, have enjoyed some back and forth on X without directly referencing the move.

There's also a little dig at Piastri in there from the Brit, in reference to the Australian's exit from Alpine.

Hamiltion will partner Charles Leclerc in what will be a stunning pairing for the Ferrari team, and they do get on quite well...

Previously, Leclerc was asked what he would look for in a future partner, and he turned to Hamilton, before saying, 'Hello Lewis'.

Now, his dream is a reality.

In true deadline day style, we asked you to explain Hamilton's move to Ferrari in football terms.

Here are some of the best...

Messi to Madrid.

Pep to sign as new manager of Man United.

Rvp to Manchester United.

If you're not into Formula 1, hopefully that gives you an idea of how big this one is.

Members of the Sky Sports F1 crew have had their says and it's being billed as the biggest move in F1 since... Hamilton left McLaren for Mercedes.

I don't seen the negatives.

I'm looking forward to this.

This is unreal.

There's so much anticipation for this one.

There is pretty much zero doub that Lewis Hamilton is one of the best drivers of all time. Maybe THE best.

Here are what the stats say, thanks to Sofascore.

The seven world titles thing may still be raw for some (myself included), but he will be visciously hunting down his eighth with his new side - assuming Mercedes don't work a miracle this year.

But it's the end of an era. Six world championships with the silver arrows.

Social media has been rife today following the news around Hamilton, and the internet has been doing what the internet does and looking at the, let's say brighter, side of things.

Can you imagine Hamilton turning up at Ferrari HQ Peter Omemwingie style? Could he regret the move? What will his relationship with Toto Wolff be like?

So many questions that need answers. Apart from the first, maybe.

Check out our piece on the man responsible for the move, Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur.

The new Ferrari team boss has a special bond with Hamilton, so it will come as no surprise that the Briton is keen to work with the Frenchman again.

It's quite a romantic end to what has been a stellar career, isn't it? Potentially the best driver ever, seeing out his final years with the most famous car ever, with his old mate.

Many will be aware that the highly-rated Andrea Kimi Antonelli is set to compete in the 2024 Formula 2 Championship with Prema Racing.

If he shows well enough and gets the license points, there's every chance that the teenager could step up in place of the British star.

Formula One fans have claimed Lewis Hamilton's shock move to Ferrari is the 'biggest signing of the transfer window'.

Negotiations over the 39-year-old British racer's move from Mercedes could be concluded by the end of the week in what would be a romantic end to his Formula One career.

After two challenging seasons for Mercedes, who have failed to keep pace with Red Bull, it is believed Ferrari are close to convincing Hamilton he stands a better chance of success with them.

Click below to read more...

Lewis Hamilton looks set for a dramatic reunion for Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur, should he make the move from Mercedes.

Hamilton won Formula Three and GP2 (now Formula Two) championships with Vasseur's ART team in 2005 and 2006 before making a spectacular Formula One debut with McLaren in 2007.

In January, Vasseur admitted that he still regularly keeps in contact with the British star.

"I talk to him at every GP, he raced for me 20 years ago and we are still close," Vasseur told Italy's Gazzetta dello Sport newspaper.

"Clearly, if they (the media) see us together in the paddock, there's a lot of fuss, but the relationship has remained. I don't want to compare him to our drivers, it wouldn't make sense."

In May last year, Mail Sport revealed that Ferrari were set to offer Lewis Hamilton the chance to win his dream eighth world championship in their famous red car.

We reported that the Italian team were willing to break the bank to land the superstar in a £40million deal, and offered him the opportunity to eclipse the Scuderia’s greatest hero, Michael Schumacher, who won five of his seven titles with them.

Conversations over the extravagant signing not only advanced at the highest level in Ferrari, but company president John Elkann remained in close contact with Hamilton.

Click below to read more..

Lewis Hamilton appears to be on the brink of fulfilling one of the greatest dreams of his life – by driving for Ferrari.

Informed reports in Italy have compellingly linked the seven-time world champion with a seat at the Scuderia, even as early as the 2025 season.

This confirms Mail Sport's world exclusive of last May that Ferrari were in talks with Hamilton and prepared to offer him a king's ransom to join.

Click below to read more...

The Formula 1 season hasn't even start yet and we have already seemingly had our first bombshell.

Follow along here as we keep you up-to-date with all the latest news following the news that Lewis Hamilton is set to move to Ferrari for the 2025 season