Lewis Hamilton might be hoping that his transfer to Ferrari in 2025 locations him in rivalry for his eighth System 1 title, alongside McLaren’s Lando Norris, who may also be vying for the crown in opposition to Crimson Bull’s Max Verstappen.
After making the shock change from Mercedes to Ferrari, Hamilton, at 40 years previous, embarks on a brand new chapter in his illustrious profession. His resolution to depart Brackley follows 12 years with Mercedes, the place he secured six of his record-tying seven world championships. Hamilton’s first title got here with McLaren in 2008. Nonetheless, he hasn’t been in a title battle since 2021, when he narrowly misplaced to Verstappen in probably the most dramatic finales in F1 historical past. The controversial resolution by then-FIA race director Michael Masi to change the course of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix contributed to Hamilton’s heartbreak. His efficiency in 2024 additionally marked his worst championship end, with Hamilton settling for seventh.
Lewis Hamilton’s final season with Mercedes was one to overlook, as he endured his lowest-ever end within the standings. In stark distinction, Lando Norris had his best-ever season in 2024, ending second within the championship after mounting a critical problem for the title for the primary time in his profession.
Whereas Max Verstappen’s dominance continued, securing a fourth consecutive title, Norris demonstrated his potential as a critical rival. The 27-year-old Dutchman, who is understood for his relentless consistency, weathered the problem posed by McLaren and Ferrari, taking advantage of his staff’s early-season type to safe the title.
Looking forward to 2025, Mike Hezemans, a revered determine in motorsport, believes that Norris enters the brand new season because the title favorite. Mike Hezemans factors to McLaren’s superior automotive, which he believes places them forward of their rivals, together with Crimson Bull, Ferrari, and Mercedes. With each Lando Norris and Lewis Hamilton now in groups with championship-caliber equipment, the 2025 season guarantees to be an exhilarating contest, with Max Verstappen’s dominance prone to face extra critical challenges than in earlier seasons.
Hezemans shared with RacingNews365 that the important thing to the 2025 title battle will rely largely on who has the very best automotive, and it seems McLaren may as soon as once more have the benefit. He acknowledged Max Verstappen’s energy however urged that if McLaren, Ferrari, and Mercedes all handle to be aggressive, it might result in an thrilling season.
Whereas he regarded McLaren as nonetheless having the strongest automotive, Hezemans expressed doubt about how robust Lando Norris could possibly be. He identified that Norris had proven spectacular type in the previous couple of races of the earlier season and, primarily based on that, he thought-about Norris to be the pre-season favorite for the title.
Nonetheless, regardless of favouring Norris for the beginning of the season, Hezemans additionally predicted that Verstappen would seemingly safe his fifth consecutive championship. He believed that McLaren and Ferrari’s difficulty may stem from having two extremely proficient and carefully matched drivers, which might create inside challenges, a scenario he known as a “downside” for each groups.
Mike Hezemans’ evaluation that McLaren and Ferrari face a ‘downside’ within the 2025 System 1 season is legitimate, notably with each groups fielding two drivers who’re decided to battle for the championship. This dynamic is prone to complicate issues for each outfits, as neither may have a transparent number-two driver, which in flip might give Verstappen a big benefit over his rivals.
In 2024, McLaren used staff orders to permit Lando Norris to safe victory within the Brazil Dash, however such ways might now not be viable now that Oscar Piastri can be firmly within the title hunt. Piastri, having confirmed his skills and ambitions, might be aiming to keep away from being sidelined by staff orders in 2025. His aim is to ascertain himself as McLaren’s lead driver and problem for the title, which might result in tensions inside the staff if Norris continues to be a powerful contender.
Equally, Lewis Hamilton can’t depend on Charles Leclerc assuming a supporting position at Ferrari. With each drivers seemingly aiming for the championship, the dynamic at Maranello might be extremely aggressive. In the meantime, Christian Horner has already made it clear that Crimson Bull may have a distinct technique. The staff is about to deal with Liam Lawson as Verstappen’s designated number-two driver after selling him from the junior Racing Bulls staff to exchange Sergio Perez for the 2025 season. This resolution creates a extra outlined hierarchy at Crimson Bull, probably giving Verstappen a clearer path to sustaining his dominance, free from the inner challenges that can undoubtedly come up at McLaren and Ferrari.
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