F1 News: Lewis Hamilton Receives Offer From Ferrari For 2024 Season

Ferrari president John Elkann “personally” contacted Lewis Hamilton to offer him a Ferrari contract.

The breaking news is indeed true. According to Italian journalist Leo Turrini Ferrari did make an offer to Lewis Hamilton which he politely refused. However, with Mercedes boss Toto Wolff and Lewis Hamilton insisting for long that a contract extension is coming, it definitely hasn't seen the daylight yet. 

With the media doing their job of speculating about the delay, rival teams are bound to send irresistible offers, especially to a successful seven-time championship winner like Hamilton. Several former F1 drivers have also advised him to chase the Ferrari dream. Martin Brundle urged Hamilton to "go to Ferrari and do a Michael Schumacher” while former motorsport team owner Eddie Jordan believes that Ferrari and Hamilton would be “a match made in heaven.”

However, a big slice of the Ferrari Pizza comes from Turrini's blog which reported:

“Hamilton had been contacted personally by Elkann. I understand he politely replied ‘no thanks’. And you can understand it [unfortunately].”

German Publication Auto Motor und Sport adds further input by stating that Hamilton was also approached by other team members apart from Elkann. Rumours suggest that Ferrari boss Fred Vasseur had approached the British racer but got the same reply as Elkann. Journalist Michael Schmidt reported saying:

“Vasseur is rumoured to have made Hamilton an offer, I won’t deny it.

"I think Vasseur knows well that Lewis is not going anywhere, but he also has to make sure that Ferrari show some dynamism.

"I also think Hamilton is quite smart. He knows very well that even if they pay him double in Maranello, things won’t go any better there: Ferrari is not ahead of Mercedes as a car.

"And every problem at Mercedes would multiply at Ferrari because it is even more in the spotlight.”

Talking about Hamilton's contract extension with Mercedes, Schmidt reported that he never recalls the "extension of Hamilton's contract from day one to the next, but in the end, it has always been announced.”

As for Ferrari, they previously denied claims of approaching Hamilton with an offer.