Lewis Hamilton will take on a new challenge when he joins Ferrari over the winter, but his success with the Scuderia depends on a number of factors.
So far in his career, the seven-time world champion has demonstrated a knack for making the right move at the right time, but with this likely being his final switch, the pressure is on if Hamilton is to fight for a record-breaking eighth Drivers’ Championship title, and bring the glory days back to Ferrari.
With so much at stake, there is also a lot that could go wrong for Britain’s best-ever racing driver. With that in mind, Express Sport breaks down the worst possible timeline for Hamilton’s 2025.
Toto Wolff gets his dream – Mercedes return to the top
As things stand with six races remaining of the 2024 campaign, there is little to separate Mercedes, Ferrari and Red Bull, all of whom are trailing McLaren in the pecking order. Of the eight drivers representing those four teams, only Sergio Perez has failed to win a race this year.
With just one year remaining of the current regulations and the 2026 changes looming in the mirror, 2025 represents a unique opportunity for a host of drivers to fight for a championship. Ferrari will no doubt be in the fight, but Mercedes will too.
During a run of two wins in four races this summer, Hamilton insisted that he has no regrets about swapping Ferrari for Mercedes, but if the Silver Arrows make the necessary leap in performance and George Russell and Kimi Antonelli can fight for the title, the 39-year-old will no doubt have some bitter feelings.
Kimi Antonelli hits the ground running
It is safe to say that 2024 hasn’t been the best year of Hamilton’s glittering career. The Brit has often cut a frustrated figure in the paddock and qualifying has been a miserable time. After 18 races, he has outqualified Russell just five times.
Hamilton’s replacement will be teenage sensation Antonelli, and if the 18-year-old hops into the W16 next year as a rookie and beats his predecessor’s record – particularly in qualifying – against Russell, then questions will be asked about the seven-time champion’s prowess on Saturdays.
Charles Leclerc keeps on improving
Even if Ferrari start the 2025 campaign as the fastest team, Hamilton must see off the threat of a formidable team-mate if he is to claim an eighth Drivers’ Championship crown. Charles Leclerc has enjoyed the upper hand on both Sebastian Vettel and Carlos Sainz and is still improving year after year.
The Monegasque racer has the ability to dominate the intra-team battle if Hamilton’s qualifying form doesn’t improve. Leclerc has a reputation for being one of, if not the best qualifier on the F1 grid, and his race pace is strong as well.
He will be a formidable opponent for Hamilton, and has the benefit of being embedded into the team’s operations, having joined Ferrari from Sauber back in 2019. Leclerc will prove a worthy adversary for the legendary Brit.
