Mercedes make 'groundbreaking' announcement days after Lewis Hamilton officially joined Ferrari

Mercedes have made a 'groundbreaking' announcement days after Lewis Hamilton officially left the team to join Ferrari.

Hamilton signed what Ferrari described only as a 'multi-year contract' last February, with the deal kicking in from 2025 onwards.

The seven-time world champion will team up with Charles Leclerc at the Scuderia, and is set to have his first experience of driving an old-spec Ferrari F1 car this month before official testing begins in February.

The Brit has now ended an 11-year stint with the Mercedes team, although his involvement with Mercedes as a manufacturer in general dates back to 1998 when the German company was an engine supplier for McLaren, and thus supported Hamilton with his career after he joined the McLaren and Mercedes-Benz Young Driver Programme.

The 40-year-old - who celebrated the age milestone on Tuesday - has yet to comment on the move since his initial statement upon signing for Ferrari last year.

He has, however, changed his Instagram profile photo to show him racing in a red helmet during his karting days.

In the meantime, Kimi Antonelli has also been getting used to life at Mercedes as Hamilton's replacement for 2025.

And the German manufacturer have now made a major announcement ahead of the season getting underway.

Hamilton's move to Ferrari could see several brands previously associated with Mercedes make the view to the Scuderia, with Tommy Hilfiger among the brands linked with the Italian team.

However, Mercedes have acted well in advance to plug at least one of those gaps by announcing a 'groundbreaking' deal with Adidas.

George Russell will lead the Mercedes team in 2025 (Image: Getty)

In a press release, Mercedes say that Adidas will provide a 'complete range' of clothes and individual items based on the requirements of each team member.

The Silver Arrows plan to unveil the first line of products next month.

Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff called the announcement a 'clear statement' of intent, and added: "Adidas is an iconic brand, one that shares our dedication not only to peak performance but to style and sophistication too.

"This announcement therefore represents a groundbreaking collaboration that will redefine what team and fanwear means in our sport."