Lewis Hamilton described a recent return to Mercedes as feeling “like home” in an emotional reunion with his former team, marking a poignant moment for the seven-time world champion now racing for Ferrari.
Hamilton, who joined Ferrari for the 2025 season after spending 12 years with Mercedes from 2013 to 2024, reconnected with the Brackley-based squad he helped transform into F1’s most dominant force of the turbo-hybrid era. The 41-year-old won six of his seven drivers’ championships with Mercedes, securing 84 race victories and 78 pole positions in Silver Arrows machinery.
An Enduring Bond
The reunion underscores the lasting relationship between Hamilton and the team that defined much of his career. Despite his move to Maranello, the British driver’s connection to Mercedes remains strong — a testament to the partnership that rewrote Formula 1 record books between 2014 and 2020, when Mercedes and Hamilton won seven consecutive constructors’ and drivers’ titles.
Hamilton’s departure at the end of 2024 marked one of the most significant driver moves in recent F1 history, with the veteran choosing to pursue his long-held ambition of racing for Ferrari. His seat at Mercedes was filled by Italian teenager Andrea Kimi Antonelli, who partners George Russell in 2026.
Ferrari Chapter Continues
Now in his second season with the Scuderia, Hamilton races alongside Charles Leclerc as Ferrari targets its first constructors’ championship since 2008. The 2026 season marks a regulatory reset with sweeping technical changes, including revised chassis regulations, heavily electrified power units, and active aerodynamics — a fresh opportunity for Ferrari and Hamilton to challenge for titles.
The emotional nature of Hamilton’s Mercedes reunion reflects the depth of relationships forged over more than a decade of collaboration, even as the driver pursues new ambitions in red. For Hamilton, Mercedes will always represent the team where he cemented his legacy as one of Formula 1’s all-time greats.