Ferrari dropped a bombshell on the motorsport world earlier this month when it introduced that it had signed seven-time F1 champion Hamilton for 2025.
It can convey to an finish a fruitful 11-year partnership with the Mercedes F1 group, whom Hamilton joined from McLaren on the finish of 2012 and received six of his seven world titles between 2014 and 2020.
Quartararo is a recognized F1 fan and lover of automobiles, and previous to MotoGP pre-season testing kicking off he took a visit to Ferrari’s Maranello base on the finish of January.
The 2021 MotoGP champion was proven round 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 can be becoming a member of its F1 group – however he didn’t realise it till after the announcement.
“It was unusual, as a result of I used to be visiting Maranello a few days earlier than the announcement and Piero Ferrari steered it to me,” Quartararo mentioned.
“However at that second I didn’t know find out how to interpret it, I didn’t get it. I didn’t fall for it till it turned official.”
Sir Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes F1 W14, battles with Carlos Sainz, Ferrari SF-23
Picture by: Andy Hone / Motorsport Photos
Commenting on the information, Quartararo added: “I all the time keep in mind Lewis at Mercedes. I’m not even conscious of his time at McLaren.
“It’s going to be unusual to see him wearing crimson.”
Hamilton has repeatedly expressed his love of bikes and MotoGP earlier than, making a number of visits to the MotoGP paddock over time.
In 2019, via mutual sponsorship between Mercedes and Yamaha, Hamilton and MotoGP legend Valentino Rossi engaged in a experience swap.
At Valencia’s Ricardo Tormo circuit, Hamilton rode Rossi’s M1 Yamaha MotoGP bike for the primary time whereas the latter took management of his title-winning Mercedes from that yr.
Hamilton has not since sampled MotoGP equipment, whereas Rossi retired from the sequence on the finish of 2021 to pursue a profession in GT racing.
Quartararo had been in talks about driving a Mercedes F1 automotive in 2022, however nothing got here of it.
Former Yamaha works rider Jorge Lorenzo did check a 2014-spec W05 F1 automotive at Silverstone.
