Lewis Hamilton is setting his sights on a victory at the Australian Grand Prix, marking his debut with Ferrari. While he’s aiming to manage expectations, securing a win is certainly within reach. After spending over a decade with Mercedes, culminating in what may have been the toughest season of his career, Hamilton is now adapting to a new car and team dynamic. Even if Ferrari presents the fastest car in Melbourne, Charles Leclerc will be an extremely formidable opponent to overcome.
Charles Leclerc, a crucial figure within Ferrari, clinched three race victories last season, and the two drivers debuted the SF-25 on Wednesday. However, it will take three days of testing to better understand the true potential of the car. Hamilton’s first victory in Formula 1 came during his rookie season in 2007 at the sixth race of the year with McLaren, a victory that set the stage for his narrow miss of the championship by just one point.
In his years with Mercedes, Lewis Hamilton secured a win just before the summer break at the Hungarian Grand Prix, despite Red Bull’s dominance that season. This year, Hamilton remains an unpredictable factor in the title race. Although drivers like Max Verstappen, Lando Norris, and Charles Leclerc are generally seen as the primary contenders, Hamilton, with his seven world championships, cannot be ruled out.
Hamilton has also developed a greater respect for two of his greatest rivals, Sebastian Vettel and Fernando Alonso. He acknowledged that these two drivers had achieved remarkable feats in their careers, particularly when adapting to new teams. Charles Leclerc won in his first season at Ferrari, securing his maiden victory in Belgium and following it up with a win at Monza. Carlos Sainz took a bit longer, 18 months, but did so without having had a truly competitive car at the start. In contrast, Alonso’s debut with Ferrari in 2010 saw him win the Bahrain Grand Prix, while Sebastian Vettel won for Ferrari in his second race with the team in Malaysia during the 2015 season.
Hamilton, now at Ferrari, has a newfound admiration for the challenges Sebastian Vettel and Alonso overcame. Both drivers were faced with adapting to new environments: Sebastian Vettel, after years at Red Bull, and Alonso, who had stints with Renault and McLaren. Hamilton, now part of Ferrari, recognizes the immense difficulty involved in joining a new team and adjusting to its culture and dynamics.
Unlike Sebastian Vettel and Fernando Alonso, Hamilton isn’t under the same level of pressure to win immediately with Ferrari, as he is already one of the sport’s most successful drivers. His focus is on overtaking Michael Schumacher’s record of seven championships, a feat he’s already matched in terms of titles. Despite this, Hamilton’s legacy is secure, even if he falls short of another championship.
The German driver won 14 races for Ferrari, coming close to the title in 2017 and 2018, but ultimately fell short. Alonso, too, had near-misses in 2010 and 2012, and despite his age, continues to pursue a third title. Sebastian Vettel, on the other hand, had a potential comeback blocked by Red Bull’s Helmut Marko, choosing instead to retire after his final race with Aston Martin in 2022.
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