Lewis Hamilton will be hoping that his move to Ferrari in 2025 places him in contention for his eighth Formula 1 title, alongside McLaren’s Lando Norris, who will also be vying for the crown against Red Bull’s Max Verstappen.
After making the surprise switch from Mercedes to Ferrari, Hamilton, at 40 years old, embarks on a new chapter in his illustrious career. His decision to leave Brackley follows 12 years with Mercedes, where he secured six of his record-tying seven world championships. Hamilton’s first title came with McLaren in 2008. However, he hasn’t been in a title battle since 2021, when he narrowly lost to Verstappen in one of the most dramatic finales in F1 history. The controversial decision by then-FIA race director Michael Masi to alter the course of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix contributed to Hamilton’s heartbreak. His performance in 2024 also marked his worst championship finish, with Hamilton settling for seventh.
Lewis Hamilton’s last season with Mercedes was one to forget, as he endured his lowest-ever finish in the standings. In stark contrast, Lando Norris had his best-ever season in 2024, finishing second in the championship after mounting a serious challenge for the title for the first time in his career.
While Max Verstappen’s dominance continued, securing a fourth consecutive title, Norris demonstrated his potential as a serious rival. The 27-year-old Dutchman, who is known for his relentless consistency, weathered the challenge posed by McLaren and Ferrari, making the most of his team’s early-season form to secure the title.
Looking ahead to 2025, Mike Hezemans, a respected figure in motorsport, believes that Norris enters the new season as the title favourite. Mike Hezemans points to McLaren’s superior car, which he believes puts them ahead of their rivals, including Red Bull, Ferrari, and Mercedes. With both Lando Norris and Lewis Hamilton now in teams with championship-caliber machinery, the 2025 season promises to be a thrilling contest, with Max Verstappen’s dominance likely to face more serious challenges than in previous seasons.
Hezemans shared with RacingNews365 that the key to the 2025 title battle will depend largely on who has the best car, and it appears McLaren might once again have the advantage. He acknowledged Max Verstappen’s strength but suggested that if McLaren, Ferrari, and Mercedes all manage to be competitive, it could lead to an exciting season.
While he regarded McLaren as still having the strongest car, Hezemans expressed doubt about how strong Lando Norris could be. He pointed out that Norris had shown impressive form in the last few races of the previous season and, based on that, he considered Norris to be the pre-season favourite for the title.
However, despite favouring Norris for the start of the season, Hezemans also predicted that Verstappen would likely secure his fifth consecutive championship. He believed that McLaren and Ferrari’s issue might stem from having two highly talented and closely matched drivers, which could create internal challenges, a situation he referred to as a “problem” for both teams.
Mike Hezemans’ assessment that McLaren and Ferrari face a ‘problem’ in the 2025 Formula 1 season is valid, particularly with both teams fielding two drivers who are determined to fight for the championship. This dynamic is likely to complicate matters for both outfits, as neither will have a clear number-two driver, which in turn could give Verstappen a significant advantage over his competitors.
In 2024, McLaren used team orders to allow Lando Norris to secure victory in the Brazil Sprint, but such tactics may no longer be viable now that Oscar Piastri is also firmly in the title hunt. Piastri, having proven his abilities and ambitions, will be aiming to avoid being sidelined by team orders in 2025. His goal is to establish himself as McLaren’s lead driver and challenge for the title, which could lead to tensions within the team if Norris continues to be a strong contender.
Similarly, Lewis Hamilton cannot count on Charles Leclerc assuming a supporting role at Ferrari. With both drivers likely aiming for the championship, the dynamic at Maranello will be highly competitive. Meanwhile, Christian Horner has already made it clear that Red Bull will have a different strategy. The team is set to treat Liam Lawson as Verstappen’s designated number-two driver after promoting him from the junior Racing Bulls team to replace Sergio Perez for the 2025 season. This decision creates a more defined hierarchy at Red Bull, potentially giving Verstappen a clearer path to maintaining his dominance, free from the internal challenges that will undoubtedly arise at McLaren and Ferrari.
