Lewis Hamilton Was to Be Mercedes’ “Brand Ambassador” Before Ferrari Snatched Him, Says Former Benz VP

In a game like Formula One, pace is everything — both on and off track. That was evident when Ferrari didn’t wait for the end of the season to prepare for 2025. After noticing that Lewis Hamilton’s contract ended after the season, Ferrari jumped at the opportunity and bagged the Billion Dollar Man.

This transfer does complete justice to the nickname, too. As Lewis Hamilton agreed to join the stable, the prancing horses immediately decided to make him the brand ambassador, something the world expected Mercedes to do. After everything was said and done, Mercedes ex-VP Norbert Haug revealed something the Silver Arrow was planning all along..

Lewis Hamilton: The one that got away

In an interview with Motorsport Magazine.com, Norbert Haug opened up about his views on the Hamilton-Mercedes relationship. He admits, “So if I had bet on one thing, on a combination in Formula 1 that would last forever, it would have been Lewis Hamilton and Mercedes.” Although Haug left Mercedes a year before Hamilton joined, he always had his eyes on Lewis.

Upon hearing the news of Hamilton quitting, he said, “I was completely blown away! I would have sworn that it would stay that way forever. And that he would stay with Stern afterwards as a brand ambassador or whatever.” Having Lewis Hamilton as the brand ambassador for Mercedes sounds as correct as peanut butter and jelly, but as Mercedes snoozed with the offer, Frederic Vasseur’s Ferrari swept in and gave him what he needed.

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Back in 2023, Hamilton had pitched his demands to Toto Wolff while signing the contract extension. What Hamilton reportedly put on the table was an ask for a five-year deal worth a total of over $310 million (£250 million). This included a fee of around $25 million yearly to be the brand ambassador for the Silver Arrow. But when Toto Wolff decided not to comply, Hamilton started considering his options.

How did Ferrari persuade Hamilton?

Ferrari didn’t need to do much to get Hamilton’s attention. At the end of the day, it’s Ferrari, the oldest team on the grid. And even the name comes with a legacy of having 15 Driver World Champion wins. This was enough for Lewis Hamilton to look their way. Michael Schumacher, the driver that Lewis Hamilton is tied at for the most world championships, brought home five trophies for the red team.

Although Ferrari didn’t need to do much to get his attention, they didn’t waste time giving Lewis Hamilton what he needed. The team is set to replace Carlos Sainz with Hamilton and has offered a hefty $100 million salary per season. They immediately planned to make him the brand ambassador, offering him a deal to bring $400 million Hamilton’s way. This was enough for Hamilton to reconsider his loyalty to Mercedes and make the bold move.

That said, do you think Toto Wolff should have been quicker to retain Hamilton? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.

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