BY BBC
Lewis Hamilton is poised for a shock move to Ferrari for the 2025 season, BBC Sport understands.
Several sources say claims of links between the seven-time champion and Ferrari should be taken seriously, but a deal is not yet confirmed.
Ferrari want Hamilton to join Charles Leclerc for the 2025 season.
The 39-year-old signed a new two-year deal with Mercedes for 2024 and 2025 last summer but it seems he can leave after one season, should he choose.
The possibility of Hamilton moving to Ferrari in 2025 was reported in the Italian and Spanish media on Thursday.
BBC Sport has since verified the fact that it is a serious possibility and an announcement could come as early as Thursday.
There have been intermittent rumours of Hamilton moving to Ferrari for years. Until now, these have turned out to have little substance, but a number of sources say this is different.
Ferrari and Mercedes have refused to comment.
Sources have told BBC Sport that all Mercedes team members have been called to a team briefing with boss Toto Wolff and technical director James Allison at 14:00 GMT on Thursday. This is likely to be to announce Hamilton is leaving.
Hamilton won the most recent of his seven world titles in 2020.
He signed his latest two-year Mercedes deal in August, which would extend his period with the team to 13 years.
Ferrari admitted to holding talks with then-reigning world champion Hamilton in 2019 about joining them in the future.
Red Bull have dominated the sport over the past two seasons since the controversial 2021 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, when Hamilton lost out to Max Verstappen after former FIA race director Michael Masi ignored the rules in operating a late-race safety car period.
At the start of the 2023 season Hamilton said Mercedes were “on the wrong track” with their new car.
The Briton finished third in the driver standings behind Red Bull pair Verstappen and Sergio Perez.
Hamilton has won six of his seven drivers’ championships with Mercedes, claiming his first with McLaren in 2008.
Asked about speculation about potential interest from Ferrari in late 2019, Hamilton said it was “smart and wise” to carefully consider his next move, but he emphasized that he had never thought about leaving Mercedes since joining them at the start of 2013.