F1: Done Deal – Hamilton Joining Mercedes

Formula 1

F1: Done Deal – Hamilton Joining Mercedes

Lewis Hamilton makes it official - he's leaving McLaren for Mercedes in 2013...

Adam Cooper | http://www.speedtv.com | Posted September 28, 2012 Balen (BEL)

Lewis Hamilton is leaving McLaren after 2012. (Photo: Getty Images)

Mercedes officially confirmed Friday that Lewis Hamilton is joining the team and that Michael Schumacher is leaving.

There is no mention of any retirement plans for the seven-time champion, so we can only assume that he is still considering a future in the sport.

“It is now time for me to take on a fresh challenge, and I am very excited to begin a new chapter racing for the Mercedes AMG Petronas Formula One Team," Hamilton said. "Mercedes-Benz has such an incredible heritage in motorsport, along with a passion for winning which I share.

“Together, we can grow and rise to this new challenge. I believe that I can help steer the Silver Arrows to the top and achieve our joint ambitions of winning the World Championships.”

“I have had three nice years with the team which unfortunately did not go as well as we all would have wanted on the sporting side,” said Schumacher. “I wish Lewis well and for the team to achieve the success we worked so hard for in the build-up. I would like to thank the team for their trust and all the guys for their unconditional commitment. I will now concentrate on the next races.”

Adam Cooper notched up his 27th season as a racing journalist in 2011. He has written about F1 for SPEED.com since 2005. Follow him on Twitter.