Lewis Hamilton is on the point of embarking on a rare new chapter with Ferrari, marking probably the most high-profile strikes in Method 1 historical past.
The seven-time world champion is ready to affix the long-lasting Maranello crew 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 crew’s unprecedented dominance, capturing eight consecutive Constructors’ Championships between 2014 and 2021. His ultimate race for Mercedes at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix was a masterclass in perseverance, with Hamilton charging from P16 to a formidable 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 via the 2026 season, with an possibility for a one-year extension. The transfer unites the game’s most statistically profitable driver with its most illustrious crew, making a partnership loaded with potential and expectation.
Whereas the sight of Hamilton in Ferrari crimson 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 industrial concerns performed a big position in Ferrari’s resolution.
Lewis Hamilton will take the seat at the moment held by Carlos Sainz, who was conscious of his departure from Ferrari effectively 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 world model by pairing its storied legacy with the status of a seven-time world champion. Nonetheless, Windsor believes the crew’s focus stays firmly on securing aggressive outcomes, arguing that Ferrari could be equally glad from a industrial perspective if both of their drivers have been to ship a championship victory. Talking on his YouTube channel, Peter Windsor downplayed the notion of selling motivations, emphasizing the crew’s dedication to success on the monitor above all else.
“I feel [there are] loads of industrial causes for Charles Leclerc to win the championship as effectively, from a Ferrari perspective, and I feel they’d be very proud of both of them. I feel, sure, Sir Lewis Hamilton at Ferrari is an enormous factor. I’m unsure it was the explanation that they employed him, industrial causes. I feel there’s a little bit of Freddy Vasseur and historical past going again to ART and I feel 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 an amazing 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 pondering 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 issues concerning how the legendary driver will fare towards Charles Leclerc on this new chapter of his profession. Whereas Hamilton is predicted to take the popular proper facet of the storage, he’ll face a big adjustment interval as he acclimates to his new crew, new colleagues, and the nuances of the Italian crew’s operations, together with the language barrier.
Including complexity to the scenario is Lewis Hamilton’s current kind, which has been lower than stellar. His ultimate season with Mercedes noticed him end seventh within the Drivers’ Championship standings, marking his lowest-ever place in Method 1. Furthermore, Lewis Hamilton has been struggling in qualifying, with a sequence of poor Saturday performances undermining his race-day outcomes. This decline in kind raises questions on his potential 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 can be “very frightened” about transferring his kind from Mercedes to Ferrari. Nico Rosberg identified that Charles Leclerc, already a dominant determine inside Ferrari and top-of-the-line drivers over a single lap, poses a big problem for Hamilton, particularly within the qualifying classes the place he has faltered in current seasons.
Nonetheless, not everybody shares this concern. Guenther Steiner, the crew principal of Haas F1, has advised that the problem posed by Charles Leclerc might be precisely what Hamilton must reignite his profession. Steiner believes that dealing with a driver as formidable as Leclerc would possibly present the motivation Hamilton must rediscover his peak kind. The extreme competitors may push Lewis Hamilton to new heights, permitting him to return to the extent of efficiency that has made him probably the most profitable drivers in F1 historical past.
This dynamic presents an intriguing situation for Ferrari as they goal 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 energy 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 atmosphere.
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