The penultimate week of this year has brought with it a bonanza of tasty motorsport titbits. We list the highlights.
Lewis Hamilton in red overalls
The big news of the year is certainly the announcement that seven-time F1 world champion Sir Lewis Hamilton would be leaving Mercedes to join Ferrari in 2025, after 12 years with the Silver Arrows and raking up 246 races, 84 victories and six drivers’ championships. The Briton’s final race for the German outfit took place at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
His new Italian home turned up the excitement barometer this week with a “Save the Date” for February 19 to witness the breaking out of the new Red Stallions to be driven by Hamilton and his new teammate, Charles Leclerc.
Ferrari says ciao to ‘smooth operator’ Sainz
In the same week, it was also tears as the Maranello team bade farewell to Carlos Sainz Jnr in a special tribute at the Fiorano track. Carlos and his rally driver father arrived at the famous test track to drive a pair of 2022 F1-75s, the car he took his maiden Formula 1 win at the 2022 British Grand Prix at Silverstone.
It was Carlos Sainz Snr’s first time in 20 years behind the wheel of a F1 car, and he spun the car. Father and son then switched to the 735 LM, now run by the Ferrari Classiche department, which raced in the Mille Miglia in the hands of Piero Taruffi and the Le Mans 24 Hours.
Changes at the Red Bull kraal
Young Red Bull driver and New Zealander Liam Lawson was promoted this week to partner with champion Max Verstappen for 2025, after the Milton Keynes-based squad disclosed that it was parting ways with Sergio Perez.
Lawson is without a full F1 season, having only raced five races, including two stints for AlphaTauri and once as a temporary replacement for the injured Daniel Ricciardo. He pipped the more experienced Yuki Tsunoda, with Red Bull team boss Christian Horner saying, “Liam’s performances have demonstrated that he’s not only capable of delivering strong results, but that he’s also a real racer, not afraid to mix it with the best and come out on top.
“There’s no doubt that racing alongside Max, a four-time champion and undoubtedly one of the greatest drivers ever seen in F1, is a daunting task, but I’m sure Liam can rise to that challenge and deliver some outstanding results for us next year,” Horner said.
Trouble in two-wheel paradise
After an initial report by Bloomberg last week, the European Commission this week announced it would open an “in-depth investigation” into the purchase of MotoGP by Formula 1 owner Liberty Media.
Liberty’s acquisition of Dorna, which holds the rights to the MotoGP World Championship, will result in the US media company acquiring an 86% stake in Dorna that would value the Spanish firm at €4.2bn.
The commission said it needs to clarify whether the deal violates the antitrust framework established by the office headed by Teresa Ribera, who serves as vice-president of both the Commission and the Spanish government, and the possibility that MotoGP's acquisition could place Liberty, which already owns F1, in a dominant position in the market for granting race broadcasting rights in Europe — and that would ultimately lead to an increase in consumer prices.
BMW M Motorsports adds another SA driver
BMW M Motorsport also announced local driver Kelvin van der Linde as its new works driver in the 2025 season. He joins his brother, Sheldon, who has been part of the racing team since 2019.
Twenty-eight year old Kelvin's career highlights include winning the 24 Hours of Nürburgring, twice; ADAC GT Masters champion, twice as well, multiple podium finishes at the 24 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps (BEL), more than 64 DTM races, and last season he competed in the entire season of the FIA World Endurance Championship in the LMGT3 class, making his debut at the 24 Hours of Le Mans (FRA).
To win the Dakar at all cost
Former DTM driver and now Dakar rallyist Mattias Ekstrom said he was willing to contest the Dakar Rally for the next 15 years if that is what it took to win the world’s most prestigious rally-raid.
“I’m trying to have a perfect Dakar, that’s my dream,” said the Swede, who joins legends Carlos Sainz and Nani Roma at Ford in 2025. “I will keep fighting until I win it. Whether that takes one, two, 10 or 15 years, it doesn't matter. I will continue until I have won.”
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