Lewis Hamilton’s record-breaking eighth F1 ꦫchampionship could now arrive in the red of Ferrari.

Should he accomplish that from 2025 onwards, it would also be a historic first championship for the famous team since 2007✱.

Hamilton has just one more chance to win the championship while wi✃th Mercedes, but they enter 2024 with Red Bull the dominant team.

Mercedes boss Toto Wolff wಌas asked how he’d feel seeing Hamilton - who he insists will always remain a close friend - win his elusive eighth title with anoth🐟er team.

“You know, there is the side in me that says he should have an eighth, because that wa꧟s ta🐲ken away from him,” Wolff said.

“So you know, if he wins that in 2024, that would be a great thing. Going forward, competing on-track, I🥃’d r🐻ather us win. I’d rather us win…”

Wolff had to balance his personal relationship with Hamilton 🔯and his professional role at Mercedes, when he was hit by the incredible news that his star driver will go to Ferrari next year.

But he insisted: “No. It doesn’t hurt.

“Because I need to keep the calm and decide how we🌼’re going to manage the 2024 season, best manage the 2024 season, and what the decis🦹ions need to be going forward.

“You know it’s not like someone that I like a lot is disappe𒅌ari🧸ng. It’s changing the team, and we’ve been very conscious in signing the contract that it could happen.

“Maybe the timing was a surprise.

“But as I said before, I’ve had many black swans swimming in front of me,ဣ the unexpected, and I think in Formula 1, it’s all about agility and being able to embrace change of circumstances.”

Hamilton will link up with Ch🍌arles Leclerc at Ferrari in 2025 in a combo of big-money drivers.

Mercedes must decide how to replace Hamilton - the likes of Carlos Sainz or Fernando Alonso could feasibly bꩲe on the market.

But before then, Wolff must na👍vigate Mercedes through a tricky 2024 knowing it will be Hamilton’s last year.

The W15, they hope, will be a dramatic imp💟rovement on the past two seasons and capable of fighting Red Bull.