Ferrari dropped a bombshell on the motorsport world earlier this month when it announced that it had signed seven-time F1 champion Hamilton for 2025.
It will bring to an end a fruitful 11-year partnership with the Mercedes F1 team, whom Hamilton joined from McLaren at the end of 2012 and won six of his seven world titles between 2014 and 2020.
Quartararo is a known F1 fan and lover of cars, and prior to MotoGP pre-season testing kicking off he took a trip to Ferrari’s Maranello base at the end of January.
The 2021 MotoGP champion was shown around by Piero Ferrari, son of the marque’s founder Enzo.
In an interview with Motorsport.com, Quartararo revealed that Ferrari insinuated to him that Hamilton would be joining its F1 team – but he didn’t realise it until after the announcement.
“It was strange, because I was visiting Maranello a couple of days before the announcement and Piero Ferrari suggested it to me,” Quartararo said.
“But at that moment I didn’t know how to interpret it, I didn’t get it. I didn’t fall for it until it became official.”
Sir Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes F1 W14, battles with Carlos Sainz, Ferrari SF-23
Photo by: Andy Hone / Motorsport Images
Commenting on the news, Quartararo added: “I always remember Lewis at Mercedes. I’m not even aware of his time at McLaren.
“It’s going to be strange to see him dressed in red.”
Hamilton has repeatedly expressed his love of motorcycles and MotoGP before, making several visits to the MotoGP paddock over the years.
In 2019, through mutual sponsorship between Mercedes and Yamaha, Hamilton and MotoGP legend Valentino Rossi engaged in a ride swap.
At Valencia’s Ricardo Tormo circuit, Hamilton rode Rossi’s M1 Yamaha MotoGP bike for the first time while the latter took control of his title-winning Mercedes from that year.
Hamilton has not since sampled MotoGP machinery, while Rossi retired from the series at the end of 2021 to pursue a career in GT racing.
Quartararo had been in talks about driving a Mercedes F1 car in 2022, but nothing came of it.
Former Yamaha works rider Jorge Lorenzo did test a 2014-spec W05 F1 car at Silverstone.
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