Martin Brundle “doesn’t buy” Lewis Hamilton’s “emotional” talk ahead of Ferrari move

Martin Brundle doesn’t believe Lewis Hamilton’s claim that leaving Mercedes for Ferrari in 2025 will be “emotional”.

Hamilton will leave Mercedes after 12 seasons at the end of 2024 to join Ferrari alongside Charles Leclerc.

The seven-time world champion reflected on the move during Mercedes’ 2024 car launch last week, describing it was “very surreal” and saying it had been an emotional period for him.

Speaking on the latest episode of the Sky Sports F1 podcast, Brundle dismissed the notion that Hamilton will be sentimental about leaving Mercedes, labelling him as a “winning machine”.

“I don’t buy all of this ‘it’s going to be emotional’, leaving [Mercedes],” he said. “Lewis is a winning machine and that is what he wants to do.

“It is a good contract and he'll be paid a lot of money and get a lot of money, a lot of love. It will be one of the biggest global sports stories in 2025, so I just see positives all round.”

Mercedes are yet to decide who will replace Hamilton alongside George Russell for 2025.

F2 star Andrea Kimi Antonelli has been mooted as a wildcard option, while Esteban Ocon, Carlos Sainz, Alex Albon and Fernando Alonso have been linked in recent weeks.

Brundle has advised Mercedes to take their time when deciding who will replace Hamilton.

"Everybody has got an opportunity here,” he added. “George Russell has got this shiny confidence, the talent, the speed and the experience to pick up the mantle and be the number one driver at Mercedes-Benz - I have no doubt about that at all.

“It will energise Mercedes, losing Lewis and it is an opportunity for them. Act in haste, repent at leisure, they can wait and see how Kimi Antonelli goes, they got Esteban Ocon I suspect, they've got access to Carlos Sainz and maybe Fernando Alonso.

“Mick Schumacher is also in the gang and any number of other drivers, so I think they'll see how this season goes, and why do they need to jump now? 

“I also think it'll energise Ferrari and Charles Leclerc as well, and us lot talking about it, so I don't see any downsides.”