Lewis Hamilton to join Ferrari in 2025
- Daniel Madgin
- Feb 1, 2024
- 3 min read
“It’s definitely going to be crazy to think that I never drove for Ferrari”. That is what Lewis Hamilton told Sky Sports in Monza ahead of the Italian Grand Prix in 2021.
Come 2025, the seven-time world champion will be driving in a scarlet red Ferrari and fulfilling his lifelong dream.
The Formula 1 driver move that has caused the most shockwaves since Lewis Hamilton last made a move from McLaren to Mercedes in 2013, the British driver will be announced as a Ferrari driver alongside Charles Leclerc for the following year later today.
“Of course I look at the colour and the red, it’s just… it’s still the red” he added in that same interview. There has been a long-term interest and appreciation from both Ferrari and Hamilton and the stars have finally aligned.
Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur likely had a hand in facilitating the move. Hamilton and Vasseur’s relationship dates back to their junior days when the pair worked together closely.
Hamilton was victorious in Formula 3 and GP2 under an ART team which was under Vasseur’s reign in 2005 and 2006 before his debut the year after for McLaren.
“I talk to him at every grand prix, he raced for me 20 years ago and we are still close” Vasseur told Italy’s Gazzetta dello Sport in August.
It is no secret that 39-year-old Lewis Hamilton is in the final four or five years of his career in the sport and this may become the final move of his illustrious career.
The move might be an emotional one rather than a sensible one considering Ferrari’s short and long-term performances. The Maranello outfit has infamously been in a championship drought since Kimi Raikkonen’s 2007 win.
There will be a feeling that the 2026 engine regulation changes will prove crucial as to whether Ferrari will be able to return to the summit and relive the glory days of Michael Schumacher and the legendary drivers prior.
Dethroning the powerhouse combination of Max Verstappen and Red Bull will take a mighty combination of strong drivers and a capable set of mechanics. While Ferrari is not completely polished on the latter, Leclerc and Hamilton is a dream partnership to challenge the world champions.
The blatant question that must be asked is why Hamilton is opting to depart from the team which has gifted him the greatest of success. After so agonisingly missing out on an eighth title it felt as if it was destiny for car 44 to win that elusive record-breaking championship at the Silver Arrows.
Mercedes have been underwhelming since the regulation changes after 2021 which might be an influence on the decision to depart. The 2022 season saw a completely failed no-side-pod concept unable to compete which had a knock-on effect for last year.
While Lewis Hamilton accepts mistakes, he does not give much time for rectification. He has shown disappointment with the concept and driveability of the Mercedes which has meant he has been unable to secure a single victory since 2021, his longest time without a win in the sport.
Mercedes and Toto Wolff must deliver Lewis Hamilton a challenging car this year. Of course, that will not convince Hamilton to stay but could create a sense of regret if the car can challenge Red Bull. This is a hugely damaging departure for the team as the man who has been a large reason for the dominance in the previous decade is departing.
This news of course means that Carlos Sainz is without a drive for 2025 despite contract rumours and of course, Mercedes will be searching for a driver for the following year also which could descend a pre-empted silly season before the drivers have even hit the racetrack in Bahrain.
It cannot be disputed that this move suits both Ferrari and Lewis Hamilton and it will feel surreal to watch one of the greatest drivers drive for the most successful constructor in the history of the sport.
An announcement of the move is expected later today (31st January) after Toto Wolff consults with his employees at 14:00 GMT.
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