Lewis Hamilton is on the point of embarking on a unprecedented new chapter with Ferrari, marking some of the high-profile strikes in System 1 historical past.
The seven-time world champion is about to affix the enduring Maranello workforce alongside Charles Leclerc after a outstanding 12-year stint at Mercedes. Since his arrival from McLaren in 2013, Hamilton has cemented his place in F1 lore by successful six world titles with the Silver Arrows and spearheading the workforce’s unprecedented dominance, capturing eight consecutive Constructors’ Championships between 2014 and 2021. His remaining race for Mercedes at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix was a masterclass in perseverance, with Hamilton charging from P16 to a powerful fourth-place end.
Lewis Hamilton’s new contract with Ferrari reportedly carries a base wage of £39 million per 12 months, probably escalating to £83 million with performance-related bonuses. The deal extends by means of the 2026 season, with an choice for a one-year extension. The transfer unites the game’s most statistically profitable driver with its most illustrious workforce, making a partnership loaded with potential and expectation.
Whereas the sight of Hamilton in Ferrari purple will undoubtedly captivate the racing world, not everybody agrees on the motivations behind the signing. Motorsport analyst and former Ferrari common supervisor Peter Windsor has expressed skepticism over the concept that business concerns performed a major function in Ferrari’s choice.
Lewis Hamilton will take the seat at the moment held by Carlos Sainz, who was conscious of his departure from Ferrari properly earlier than the SF-24 even hit the monitor in February. Carlos Sainz has since secured a multi-year deal to affix Williams in 2025.
Many view Lewis Hamilton’s arrival as a chance for Ferrari to bolster its international model by pairing its storied legacy with the status of a seven-time world champion. Nevertheless, Windsor believes the workforce’s focus stays firmly on securing aggressive outcomes, arguing that Ferrari could be equally happy from a business perspective if both of their drivers had been to ship a championship victory. Talking on his YouTube channel, Peter Windsor downplayed the notion of selling motivations, emphasizing the workforce’s dedication to success on the monitor above all else.
“I believe [there are] quite a lot of business causes for Charles Leclerc to win the championship as properly, from a Ferrari perspective, and I believe they’d be very pleased with both of them. I believe, sure, Sir Lewis Hamilton at Ferrari is a giant factor. I’m undecided it was the explanation that they employed him, business causes. I believe there’s a little bit of Freddy Vasseur and historical past going again to ART and I believe there’s additionally, he’s simply so good and well-rounded and he’s on the proper stage in his profession to be proper there with Charles. In different phrases I don’t suppose it was: ‘Properly we actually need Carlos Sainz, he’s undoubtedly a fantastic racing driver however we’re going to make much more cash if we’ve got Lewis Hamilton.’ I don’t suppose there was that a lot considering alongside these strains, from what I collect.” – the previous Ferrari common supervisor identified.
The prospect of Lewis Hamilton becoming a member of Ferrari has undoubtedly generated immense pleasure, however there are additionally considerations relating to how the legendary driver will fare in opposition to Charles Leclerc on this new chapter of his profession. Whereas Hamilton is anticipated to take the popular proper aspect of the storage, he’ll face a major adjustment interval as he acclimates to his new workforce, new colleagues, and the nuances of the Italian workforce’s operations, together with the language barrier.
Including complexity to the state of affairs is Lewis Hamilton’s latest type, which has been lower than stellar. His remaining season with Mercedes noticed him end seventh within the Drivers’ Championship standings, marking his lowest-ever place in System 1. Furthermore, Lewis Hamilton has been struggling in qualifying, with a sequence of poor Saturday performances undermining his race-day outcomes. This decline in type raises questions on his skill to compete with Charles Leclerc, who has firmly established himself as a key determine at Ferrari.
Nico Rosberg, a former teammate of the British driver at Mercedes, has expressed his perception that Hamilton shall be “very frightened” about transferring his type from Mercedes to Ferrari. Nico Rosberg identified that Charles Leclerc, already a dominant determine inside Ferrari and among the finest drivers over a single lap, poses a major problem for Hamilton, particularly within the qualifying classes the place he has faltered in latest seasons.
Nevertheless, not everybody shares this concern. Guenther Steiner, the workforce principal of Haas F1, has steered that the problem posed by Charles Leclerc could possibly be precisely what Hamilton must reignite his profession. Steiner believes that going through a driver as formidable as Leclerc may present the motivation Hamilton must rediscover his peak type. The extreme competitors may push Lewis Hamilton to new heights, permitting him to return to the extent of efficiency that has made him some of the profitable drivers in F1 historical past.
This dynamic presents an intriguing state of affairs for Ferrari as they intention to pair their skilled and globally famend driver with their younger star. It will likely be fascinating to see whether or not Lewis Hamilton can rise to the problem and use Charles Leclerc’s power as a catalyst for a resurgence in his personal profession, or if the strain will show an excessive amount of for the 39-year-old on this recent setting.
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