Why Lewis Hamilton will legally change his name as he prepares to join exclusive five-man club

Lewis Hamilton has revealed why he plans to legally change his name as the F1 legend prepares for a fresh start at Ferrari in 2025.

Hamilton turned 40 on the 7th of January, making him fifth driver to race in his 40's this century, joining the likes of Fernando Alonso and Kimi Räikkönen.

The new Ferrari man will be aiming to become the first driver since Nigel Mansell in 1994 to stand on the top step of the podium after their 40th birthday, and Ferrari are likely to give him a car to do it.

This year will bring some significant changes to the former Mercedes driver's life, and it could be the year he finally legally changes his name after previously revealing plans to do so.

Speaking in 2022, Hamilton revealed he was in the process of changing his name to honour his mother, after admitting he doesn't understand the tradition of women losing their name.

"I’m really proud of my family’s name: Hamilton. Actually, none of you might know that my mum’s [sur]name is Larbalestier. And I’m just about to put that in my name," he said via The Mirror.

Following his victory at Silverstone in 2024, Hamilton took his mother onto the stage alongside a large group of his family to celebrate his first win since 2021.

Hamilton continued: "Because I don’t really fully understand the whole idea of why, when people get married, the woman loses her name. I really want her name to continue on with the Hamilton name."

Lewis Hamilton with his mother Carmen Larbalestier- Getty

With Hamilton joining Ferrari off the back of some pretty poor form, it has been revealed that the Brit will be taking all of Ferrari's test runs ahead of official pre-season testing.

This will give Hamilton a significant head start over Charles Leclerc, however, Leclerc has been with Ferrari since 2019 and has done plenty of test days in the past including the 2024 post season test.

Hamilton officially became a Ferrari driver on the 1st of January, and has since released his first statement as a driver for the Italian team via LinkedIn.

"I could not be more excited for the year ahead. Moving to Scuderia Ferrari, there's a lot to reflect on," he wrote.

"To anyone contemplating their next step in 2025: embrace the change. Whether you're switching industries, acquiring a new skill, or simply tackling fresh challenges, remember that reinvention is powerful. Your next opportunity is always within reach.

"Here's to 2025 - a year of embracing new opportunities, staying hungry, and driving forward with purpose. Let's make it one to remember. Andiamo #newjob."