There may be appreciable pleasure surrounding the upcoming battle between Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc at Ferrari within the 2025 Components 1 marketing campaign.
Over the previous few years, Lewis Hamilton has confronted combined outcomes, with George Russell getting the higher of him in two out of their three seasons collectively at Mercedes. Nevertheless, Hamilton has a robust monitor file of outperforming teammates, notably surpassing each Nico Rosberg and Valtteri Bottas, with Nico Rosberg being the one one to have defeated him constantly, doing so solely as soon as in 2016.
Former Ferrari staff supervisor Peter Windsor predicts that Charles Leclerc could possibly be the British driver’s most formidable challenger but, particularly on condition that Hamilton will not have the benefit of a teammate keen to function a secondary assist driver, as he had with Valtteri Bottas at Mercedes.
Leclerc, who has spent six years at Ferrari, has deeply ingrained himself within the staff’s tradition. He additionally rose by means of Ferrari’s academy program and is managed by Nicholas Todt, the son of the previous Ferrari CEO. These long-standing ties make the Monegasque a big determine inside Ferrari and an much more difficult rival for Hamilton.
Journalist Scott Mitchell-Malm, talking on The Race podcast, highlighted a possible state of affairs the place Hamilton may think about leaving Ferrari after the 2025 Components 1 season. Based on Mitchell-Malm, one key issue which may affect Hamilton’s future on the Maranello staff is the competitiveness of the 2025 marketing campaign.
Lewis Hamilton, now on the age of 40, will undoubtedly wish to compete for race wins and titles instantly. As he nears the top of his illustrious profession, the strain to succeed is larger than ever. Whereas Ferrari’s latest efficiency has been inconsistent, the staff has nonetheless produced automobiles able to profitable races, an space the place Mercedes has struggled for the reason that new rules took impact in 2022.
If Ferrari’s efficiency in 2025 proves to be underwhelming or uncompetitive, there could possibly be a state of affairs the place the British driver decides to half methods with the staff on the finish of the season.
Scott Mitchell-Malm urged that the one attainable change for 2026, which he deemed extraordinarily unlikely, could be if Hamilton’s 2025 season went terribly, main him to determine that he may not proceed. He speculated that if Hamilton had been to be constantly outperformed by Charles Leclerc, he would possibly select to retire. In that case, Ferrari may probably look to usher in Oliver Bearman, particularly if the Ferrari junior had a standout season at Haas. Mitchell-Malm famous that such a state of affairs would probably be essential to immediate a shake-up in Ferrari’s driver lineup.
Edd Straw agreed with Mitchell-Malm, stating that it was extremely inconceivable for the Ferrari lineup to not function Hamilton and Leclerc.
Lewis Hamilton’s preliminary experiences with Ferrari are already shedding gentle on the challenges he’ll face in 2025. His transfer to the staff has generated an incredible quantity of pleasure, with an estimated 3,000 followers attending his first check session at Fiorano. This degree of enthusiasm is barely anticipated to develop as Hamilton participates in extra exams, main as much as the official launch of Ferrari’s 2025 automobile on February nineteenth. The anticipation will proceed to construct as the primary pre-season check in Bahrain approaches, giving followers their first have a look at the complete lineup of automobiles for the upcoming season.
As one of the crucial well-liked drivers on the grid, Hamilton’s transition to Ferrari has attracted the eye of F1 followers world wide. Many are wanting to see how he adapts to his new staff and the way the connection will develop between him and his race engineer, Riccardo Adami. Adami, recognized for his success working with Sebastian Vettel and Carlos Sainz, is predicted to be a key determine in Hamilton’s 2025 marketing campaign. The 2 have already labored collectively throughout personal exams in Fiorano and Barcelona, and it’s anticipated that Riccardo Adami might be Hamilton’s major race engineer for the upcoming season.
Regardless of encountering a setback in the course of the Barcelona check, Ferrari engineers reported that Hamilton’s impressions had been largely constructive. The suggestions signifies that Hamilton is adjusting effectively to his new environment. He’s additionally scheduled to proceed testing this week, with a concentrate on evaluating the Pirelli tyres for the 2026 season, a vital aspect in getting ready for the challenges forward.