01 February 2024 , 14:35
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Familiar faces from Sky Sports' Formula 1 coverage could hardly contain their excitement amid news that Lewis Hamilton is going to join Ferrari.
Hamilton is on the verge of agreeing a blockbuster move which would see the seven-time world champion join the Italians in 2025. It would make the upcoming campaign a prolonged farewell tour to bring his 11-year Mercedes career to an end.
Official confirmation has not yet been given. Both teams, however, had failed to deny that it will happen and have instead opted so far to remain silent on the subject.
Toto Wolff has spoken with Mercedes staff this afternoon to inform them of the situation. Once everyone at the team has been made aware, confirmation of the move could come at any time - perhaps as soon as this afternoon.
The news took everyone by surprise on Thursday morning, including fans' favourites from Sky's F1 coverage. Martin Brundle was among those who gave an excitable response to the news on social media.
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"I'm so looking forward to this," he declared. "We've asked him for years about it and he seemed nailed on at Merc for life, and always dismissive of moving. Hamilton and [Charles] Leclerc in scarlet, that's a story."
And Sky's lead commentator David Croft gave a similarly enthusiastic response to the news. "Lewis Hamilton to Ferrari! Always thought it would happen one day, finally it will and it seems as early as 2025," he wrote.
"Seismic move just as it was when Lewis joined Mercedes and like then I don’t see the negatives. But wow, undoubtedly the biggest transfer on transfer Deadline Day!" Speaking on Sky Sports News, Brundle went on to speculate on how George Russell will be feeling about Hamilton leaving at the end of this year.
Brundle said: "He'll be thinking, 'That's good - I am the top man here unquestionably now'. George is ready to pick up the mantle at Mercedes-Benz, there's no doubt about that at all. And he's measured himself against statistically and arguably the greatest Formula 1 driver of all time.
"That's a debate we can have all afternoon, back to Fangio and Moss - but George has measured himself against Lewis and been incredibly strong, very equal. If Mercedes have got a championship-winning car this year, who would win? Would it be George or Lewis? I think it would be really close. That's the level that George is at now."