Hamilton - AP

MILAN, Italy (AP):

Ferrari reportedly want to sign Lewis Hamilton from Formula One rival McLaren.

Italian sports daily Tuttosport reported on Monday that Ferrari were prepared to offer F1 rookie Hamilton US$35 million to defect next season.

Current Ferrari drivers Kimi Raikkonen and Felipe Massa, who have won a combined five races this season, have apparently failed to convince the team they can fill the void left by retired seven-time world champion Michael Schumacher.

Ferrari could not be reached for comment yesterday.

The 22-year-old Hamilton has finished in the top three in all but one of the 11 races this season. He leads teammate and two-time world champion Fernando Alonso 80-73 in the drivers standings. Raikkonen is third with 60 points, followed by Massa with 59.

Alonso relegated

Hamilton recorded his third victory at the Hungarian Grand Prix on Sunday his relationship with McLaren is reportedly under pressure.

Alonso was relegated from first to sixth on the grid after a ruling that McLaren and the Spanish driver had delayed Hamilton during the last pit stop in Saturday's final qualifying session.

Hamilton was subsequently awarded the pole position after having recorded the second-fastest time.

McLaren were told it would lose any points it gained from the race the driver standings was unaffected by the ruling. Hamilton picked up 10 points for winning and Alonso five for finishing fourth.

Hamilton also had a reported shouting match over the team radio with McLaren boss Ron Dennis over the tactics on Saturday. Hamilton has since said he wants to mend bridges with his mentor.

There are six races remaining this season. The next is in Istanbul, Turkey, on August 26.