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According to an Italian publication, Ferrari is willing to pay a whopping £40 million to obtain the seven-time Formula One world champion Lewis Hamilton to pair with Charles Leclerc.
Hamilton is said to be frustrated with his present status at Mercedes and is yet to sign a contract extension with the Brackley-based team. According to recent sources, this is due to Hamilton considering alternative possibilities for his Formula One career. His future may lie in Maranello.
The Daily Mail reported on Monday that Lewis Hamilton will be offered €45 million per year by John Elkann, the head of the Scuderia di Maranello. Hamilton wants to win, but neither Ferrari nor Mercedes can assure him of doing so at the moment.
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While Lewis Hamilton has often stated this year that he wishes to remain with Mercedes, he is determined to secure a two-year extension at the best possible economic terms. While negotiations are going back and forth in Mercedes, nothing new is on the table regarding his contract extension.
Something similar already happened in 2019, and even then, the shadow of Elkann appeared, who met with Hamilton twice in private to persuade him to transfer to Maranello. Hamilton eventually elected to stay with Mercedes, with a pact inked in early 2020 and solely for the current season.
All these rumours now put a spotlight on the current Ferrari driver who is said to be replaced by Hamilton, Carlos Sainz. The latter's renewed contract with Ferrari is up to the end of the 2024 season.
"My immediate future, I only see it with Ferrari" - Carlos Sainz talks about his future with Ferrari amidst Lewis Hamilton's move
According to Italian publications, Ferrari is ready to offer Lewis Hamilton more money than his current contract with Mercedes and pair him with Charles Leclerc.
This means Carlos Sainz is under a threat of losing his seat, if the reports are true. Recently, Sainz was linked with Audi, who is set to join F1 in 2026. He thinks it would be "stupid" to discuss his future because he is still under contract with Ferrari and hopes to win a championship with them.
"My immediate future, I only see it with Ferrari and wanting to be successful with this team. There’s nothing that would make me happier than winning again with Ferrari, than mounting a title challenge with Ferrari."
To date this season, neither Ferrari driver has won a Grand Prix, with Red Bull claiming all five wins. Only Charles Leclerc has featured on the podium from Ferrari with Sainz’s best result being a P4 at the season-opening Bahrain Grand Prix.
