SHOCKING REVIEW:What surprised Marko about Hamilton’s move to Ferrari.Lewis Hamilton shocked the Formula 1 world with the a…
Helmut Marko expressed his “surprise” at Lewis Hamilton’s decision to leave Mercedes and join Ferrari.
Despite signing a new two-year contract with Mercedes in mid-2023, it was announced in February that Hamilton would be activating a break clause to depart after just one year, ending the most successful driver-team partnership in F1 history.
Although long considered a possibility, Hamilton’s move to Ferrari was never seen as a realistic prospect, creating a ripple effect across the driver market for next season.
Red Bull motorsport advisor Marko admitted his surprise at the news but considered it positive overall for F1.
“There had been rumours, but especially in the winter, there are a lot of rumours because no racing is happening,” Marko told grandprix247.com.
“But when it was officially announced, I heard it one day before and was really surprised.
“But on the other hand, it’s very good for Formula 1.
“This is the most successful driver in history, and combined with Ferrari, the share price went up.
“So you see the impact on marketing and the financial side.
“Usually, discussions about drivers for the next year start around July or August, and Hamilton moving so early means everything happened sooner.
“Most of the deals are already done, but we will see. It will definitely be interesting.”
