Rumors of a shock Lewis Hamilton to Ferrari switch surface as Carlos Sainz contract gets delayed: Reports

As Ferrari continues to stall with Carlos Sainz's contract extension, shocking rumors about Lewis Hamilton being linked with the Italian giants have surfaced yet again.

The seven-time world champion was previously linked with Ferrari in 2023 when his contract with Mercedes was not finalized. This time, since Charles Leclerc has received an extension and Sainz hasn't, Hamilton is being linked with the Prancing Horse once again.

Italian publication formu1a.uno has learned that the Maranello-based team is gearing up to offer Lewis Hamilton a seat in 2025. The publication also claims that it is one of the main reasons why Carlos Sainz's contract negotiations have slowed down.

Though Lewis Hamilton's current contract with Mercedes is until 2025, there is an option to break away from the team after 2024. That is where Ferrari is rumored to come in and swoop away one of the most talented and experienced F1 drivers.

Furthermore, rumors of Ferrari president John Elkann holding talks with Lewis Hamilton for the move have also surfaced.

With the 2024 F1 season about to begin, there is a lot of attention on Carlos Sainz's contract situation. Only time will tell whether Sainz will secure a deal with Ferrari or if the team will chase Hamilton for 2025.

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Lewis Hamilton shoots down rumors about receiving an offer from Ferrari

Back in October of 2023, Lewis Hamilton debunked rumors about him receiving a contract from Ferrari. Speculation was rife after his contract extension with Mercedes was delayed.

However, the Brit claimed that he never talked with the team about moving. He stated that even though he knows a lot of people on the team, he never felt ready to move to Italy.

As quoted by Blick.ch, Hamilton said:

"Never. Okay, I'm sure we've had some trivial conversations. I know a lot of good people there, but I never felt ready to move to Italy."

The British driver has been with Mercedes since 2013 and has won six of his seven world titles with them. He also helped the team win eight constructors' championships from 2014 to 2021. Hamilton has always had a strong relationship with the Silver Arrows and it will be interesting to see how the situation unfolds.