After a long wait since the announcement that was made one year ago, Lewis Hamilton has officially become a Ferrari driver. After 12 years, his contract with Mercedes has expired, and the British driver can finally switch teams and begin his work with the Italian squad.
Due to the duration of his contract, the seven-time world champion was unable to take part in the post-season Abu Dhabi tests in Ferrari colors at the end of last year. Many other drivers, such as Nico Hülkenberg and Esteban Ocon, have already had the opportunity to fully integrate with their new teams for the upcoming season. On the other hand, Lewis Hamilton had to wait for the end of January to take part in his first outing from Ferrari’s Fiorano garage with the F1-75. After this, both he and Charles Leclerc will get behind the wheel of the new car, project “677,” on February 19 following the official presentation.
The decision made last February by team principal Frédéric Vasseur was not without criticism. Many immediately saw it as purely a marketing move and argued that Lewis Hamilton’s age would prevent him from achieving the goals Ferrari must pursue—namely, winning both world championships.
Indeed, on January 7, Lewis Hamilton turned 40, making him the second-oldest driver on the Formula 1 grid, behind only Fernando Alonso. Despite the speculation, the British driver wants to end his career by securing his eighth world title in red. Before him, other world champions such as Alain Prost, Fernando Alonso, and Sebastian Vettel tried and failed.
British drivers at Ferrari: the latest in a long line
An Englishman at Maranello is nothing new—Lewis Hamilton is actually the tenth in a long list. Unfortunately, only two have won a world title: Mike Hawthorn in 1958 and John Surtees in 1964. The last British driver to race for Ferrari, Eddie Irvine, came very close in 1999, narrowly missing out on the championship.
Another British driver who had limited success with Ferrari was the great Nigel Mansell. “The Lion” drove for the Italian team in the 1989 and 1990 seasons. In his first year, he finished only six of the 16 races on the calendar, but remarkably, he was on the podium in each of those six finishes. This consistency allowed him to finish fourth in the championship, behind the McLaren and Williams drivers.
Nigel Mansell himself has spoken about Ferrari’s decision and the criticism surrounding Lewis Hamilton’s signing. “I hear a lot of people complaining that Lewis is too old now. I don’t think that matters. I won the world title at that age, and I would have kept racing for more years if politics hadn’t gotten in the way.” – the former Ferrari driver pointed out – “If Hamilton can unleash his ‘inner fire,’ he still has great years ahead of him. I think this partnership between him and Ferrari is something fantastic. I can well imagine him finishing his career dressed in red. He’s fulfilling the dream of a lifetime.” – Nigel Mansell concluded.
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