After 11 years, 84 wins and 6 world championships, Lewis Hamilton is no longer a Mercedes driver. It was a surreal feeling witnessing Lewis kickstart his Ferrari chapter in the iconic red last week, as he took to the track for the first time at Maranello. After completing his seat fitting, the Brit put on a beautifully overhauled yellow helmet and roared around Maranello in the SF-23. Hamilton described it as “one of the best feelings of my life”, admitting he was in awe as the fervent Tifosi chanted his name. The test kickstarted Hamilton’s ‘total immersion’ program; designed to familiarise the Brit with the Ferrari machinery ahead of his first run in the new 2025 car on February 19th.
Shockwaves raced through the F1 world when Ferrari announced Hamilton a year ago. The move, although surprising, makes sense. Following the infamous last lap at Abu Dhabi in 2021, Hamilton failed to win a single race across the next two years. We saw glimpses of the legend at his absolute best last year, with brilliant drives at Silverstone and Spa, but he faltered over the course of the year in comparison to teammate George Russell. Russell edged him in the points tally by a mere 9, but destroyed him over one lap pace, beating him 17 times in qualifying over the course of 2024. Hamilton has been openly self critical about his performance, but he hasn’t been helped by the sluggish Mercedes’ cars of recent.
It’s a perfect match: arguably F1’s most iconic driver with its most iconic team.
Ferrari fans were mostly enraptured with the news, although comments on the team’s announcement of their new driver were pervaded with complaints about the subsequent departure and treatment of fan-favourite Carlos Sainz. Some fans also didn’t warm to the news because of Lewis’ reign of dominance in the 2010s, and his synonymous relationship with rival team Mercedes. Fans around the sport in general were ecstatic about the news. It’s a perfect match: arguably F1’s most iconic driver with its most iconic team. An exhilarating move that could rejuvenate Hamilton after his disillusionment at the Silver Arrows and it will be thrilling to see him in that Rosso Corsa motor, hopefully back at the front of the grid where he belongs. There’s no doubt that Hamilton’s race-craft is still top tier, but with his qualifying pace not up to the standards of old, questions have been posed over whether he’ll improve at Ferrari, especially with Leclerc being an exceptional qualifier.
It’s pivotal that the new Ferrari driver hits the ground running, as Italian publication La Gazzetta dello Sport have reported that Hamilton’s first few races will be “decisive in establishing a new hierarchical order” at Ferrari. His teammate Charles Leclerc comes into the new season in full flow, finishing 3rd in the 2024 season and impressively securing 21 top 5 finishes in 24 starts. Emerging into his prime years, the 27-year-old will be hungry for his first world championship. Hamilton has a mountain to climb, but he’s more than capable of making it to the top. Many hope that this new era will reinvigorate him and return car #44 to the front of the grid. He might be 40, but Hamilton has shown that time is no obstacle for him. The veteran wants that 8th title, and Ferrari wants its first driver win since 2007. It’s not wishful thinking to imagine them achieving these goals together – in 2025.
