Seven-time F1 champion Lewis Hamilton has officially switched from Mercedes’ silver to Scuderia Ferrari’s iconic red, with his contract with the Italian side taking effect at the start of the new year.
The British driver signed a lucrative £39m-per-year deal with Ferrari in February, well ahead of stepping into Mercedes’ W15 for his final season with the Silver Arrows in 2024.
Lewis Hamilton’s Formula 1 career has been exclusively tied to Mercedes, following his debut with McLaren in 2007. Now, in 2025, he embarks on a new chapter with Ferrari, all while aiming to secure his eighth world championship title.
Lewis Hamilton is already beginning to feel at home in his new surroundings. Ahead of his move, he greeted his new Ferrari mechanics in Italian during the Abu Dhabi race weekend, signaling his enthusiasm for the change. Ferrari has arranged a test for Hamilton at the Fiorano Circuit later this month, though alternative dates are set in February in case poor weather prevents the January test from taking place.
Lewis Hamilton Aligns with Ayrton Senna’s Aspiration to Finish Career at Ferrari
By joining Ferrari, Lewis Hamilton becomes part of an exclusive group of world champions who have raced for the legendary team, including Michael Schumacher, Fernando Alonso, and Sebastian Vettel.
Lewis Hamilton’s hero, Ayrton Senna, never had the chance to drive for Ferrari, but according to journalist Ralf Bach, the British driver shares the same aspirations as the Brazilian legend about wanting to end his career with Formula 1’s most successful team.
The Brazilian F1 legend secured three world titles with McLaren in 1988, 1990, and 1991, also driving for Lotus and Williams throughout his career. Despite this, he always dreamt of racing for Ferrari.
Luca di Montezemolo, the former Ferrari president, revealed that Ayrton Senna had expressed a desire to finish his F1 career with the Maranello team, and negotiations had been underway before his tragic death at the 1994 San Marino Grand Prix. As the seven-time F1 world champion realizes his own dream of racing for the Italian side, Ralf Bach believes that had Senna been given the opportunity, he too would have joined the Scuderia to close out his career.
Ralf Bach explained via the F1-insider.com YouTube channel that Hamilton is a highly attractive figure in a positive sense, and Ferrari represented a significant draw for him. He suggested that Hamilton likely shared the same mindset as his idol, Ayrton Senna, who, had it not been for the tragic accident in Imola, would have likely finished his career at Ferrari. Bach emphasized that this aspect plays a significant role in Hamilton’s decision. He also pointed out that Hamilton, having only ever driven for Mercedes in terms of engine suppliers, likely felt the need for a change later in his career. According to Bach, if one wants something different in Formula 1, Ferrari is the logical choice. Bach, who has spent over 40 years as an F1 journalist, noted that Hamilton likely wanted to experience a new challenge before the end of his career.
Can Lewis Hamilton Leave His Mercedes Struggles Behind and Succeed at Ferrari?
Between 2014 and 2020, Lewis Hamilton enjoyed unparalleled success with Mercedes, winning six of his seven drivers’ championships and shattering numerous records. However, the shift to Formula 1’s ground effect era proved challenging for the Briton, who struggled to find consistency in recent years.
At 39, Hamilton managed to secure two victories in 2024, triumphing at Silverstone and Spa. These wins marked his first since 2021 but offered only a brief respite in a season that saw him finish a disappointing seventh in the drivers’ standings—his lowest-ever placement in his F1 career.
The British driver’s struggles with Mercedes in 2024 have raised doubts about whether he can regain his peak form at Ferrari. Critics, including Flavio Briatore, have questioned Ferrari’s decision to sign Hamilton, with Flavio Briatore stating he “wouldn’t have signed” the seven-time champion, given the team’s already strong lineup with Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz.
Leclerc, who has been a cornerstone of Ferrari since joining in 2019, is poised to be a formidable rival for Hamilton. Known as one of the fastest drivers over a single lap, Charles Leclerc’s familiarity with the Scuderia and his exceptional qualifying pace could challenge Lewis Hamilton’s dominance.
Ferrari team principal Frederic Vasseur has indicated that the team will allow its drivers to race freely in 2025, creating the potential for an electrifying intra-team battle. With two fiercely competitive drivers vying for supremacy, Hamilton faces the dual challenge of adapting to Ferrari and proving he still has what it takes to compete at the top level.
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