Lewis Hamilton has revealed a surprising detail about his shock move from Mercedes to Ferrari: he kept it secret, even from his own parents, until the official announcement.
Hamilton's long and successful journey with the Mercedes team began in 2013, after a successful stint with McLaren, where his car was powered by the German manufacturer’s engines.
His decision to join Mercedes proved to be a masterstroke, as he went on to win an unprecedented six world championships with the Brackley squad, establishing himself as one of the greatest F1 drivers of all time.
But his decision announced earlier this month to embark on a bold new – and formidable – challenge was certainly an unexpected development, even for his closest confidantes and family.
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Even Hamilton’s father Anthony, who mentored and managed his son’s career for so many years was kept in the dark.
"I didn't speak to anybody. I didn't tell my parents till the day of it being announced. So, no one knew,” the seven-time world champion told BBC 5 Live’s podcast ‘F1:Back at Base’.
"I really wanted to do it for myself. Ultimately, I had to find out what would be the best for me."
Anthony Hamilton with his second wife, Linda.
Only time will tell if Hamilton’s future endeavor with the House of Maranello will add another layer of extraordinary success to the Briton’s illustrious racing career.
But it’s likely Hamilton will conclude his life and times in F1 with Scuderia.
“It happened very fast and I’ve known Fred [Vasseur – Ferrari team boss] for a long time,” he said.
“For me, I was excited for a new year, but not really knowing what the future would hold and not really knowing how long I was going to race for but knowing that I felt super driven and excited to continue to race.
“I mean, the opportunity just popped up and I was like, okay, I’ve got to think for a second.
“And I didn’t have a lot of time to think and I had to just go with my gut feeling and I decided to take the opportunity.”
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