Scuderia Ferrari are set to enter the 2025 Formula 1 campaign with lofty ambitions, especially given the momentum they carried at the conclusion of the previous campaign.
Despite narrowly missing out on the constructors’ championship to McLaren, the Scuderia ended the season in a strong position, signaling their potential for the upcoming year. Charles Leclerc matched the performance levels of Lando Norris and Max Verstappen in the final stretch of the season, and had Ferrari’s upgrade package in Spain delivered the intended results, they might have been celebrating as champions heading into 2025.
Last season, Ferrari boasted one of the most formidable driver pairings on the grid, but when the opportunity arose to sign the sport’s most decorated driver, they opted to part ways with Carlos Sainz. Now, Lewis Hamilton has arrived in Maranello, embarking on his mission to secure an unprecedented eighth world title while simultaneously aiming to end Ferrari’s 17-year championship drought. The British driver has already embraced his new surroundings, greeting Ferrari staff in Italian, while the massive turnout at Fiorano for his first laps in red showcased just how well his arrival has been received by the tifosi.
Yet, as the 2025 season approaches, a key question lingers—what role does Ferrari envision for Hamilton, and if a genuine title battle emerges, where will their support lie between him and Leclerc?
According to journalist Laurence Edmondson on the Unlapped Podcast, Ferrari’s senior leadership has a clear preference for how the season should unfold. The top decision-makers within Ferrari are keen for Lewis Hamilton to assume the role of their primary driver throughout the 2025 Formula 1 campaign.
Discussing the driver dynamics at Maranello, Laurence Edmondson suggested that Ferrari had reached a more stable position, which he believed would enable Charles Leclerc to maximize his performance.
He pointed out that while Leclerc had established himself as Ferrari’s lead driver—dating back to his victories over Sebastian Vettel in 2019—Hamilton’s arrival introduced an element of uncertainty. Edmondson noted that, as always, the team was likely to support whichever driver made the stronger start and accumulated more points early in the season.
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However, he speculated that Ferrari’s top executives, including chairman John Elkann and CEO Benedetto Vigna, might actually be anticipating Hamilton to take on the number-one role. He reasoned that their financial commitment to Hamilton’s contract, along with the significant marketing value he brought to the team, could influence their expectations.
Despite this, Laurence Edmondson emphasized that from a purely sporting perspective, performance on track would ultimately determine Ferrari’s lead driver. He also believed that Leclerc had a strong opportunity to gain an early advantage in the championship and sustain it.
Charles Leclerc Poised to Derail Lewis Hamilton’s First Season with Ferrari
While Ferrari has both commercial and sporting motivations for wanting Lewis Hamilton to thrive, Charles Leclerc may have other plans.
As Edmondson points out, Hamilton’s immense marketability is already proving to be a major asset for the team. His social media engagement has shattered records, making him an attractive figure for sponsors eager to associate with Ferrari. This off-track value only strengthens the team’s incentive to see him succeed.
However, when it comes to on-track performance, Charles Leclerc is shaping up to be Hamilton’s biggest obstacle—assuming Ferrari has delivered a competitive package over the winter break.
The Monegasque driver ended last season in arguably the best form of his career, demonstrating an exceptional understanding of Ferrari’s current generation of cars. His ability to extract maximum performance from the machinery gives him a crucial advantage over the British driver, who will need time to adjust.
Unlike the Monegasque, Lewis Hamilton has struggled with the handling characteristics of modern ground-effect cars during his time at Mercedes. If he requires several races to fully adapt to Ferrari’s 2025 challenger, those early-season points losses could prove costly in the drivers’ championship battle.
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