Lewis Hamilton is on the point of starting a brand new chapter in his illustrious profession, making ready to make his race debut with probably the most iconic groups in Components 1 historical past as he strains up on the grid for the season opener in Melbourne.
Expectations are excessive as Lewis Hamilton embarks on this problem with Ferrari, a workforce the place attaining what he goals for has not been finished in over half a century. His arrival in Maranello carries vital weight, as he makes an attempt to safe a historic eighth world championship—one thing no driver has ever achieved.
At 40 years previous, the British driver is defying the traditional age limits of F1 success. If he manages to assert one other title, he is not going to solely surpass Michael Schumacher’s long-standing file but in addition change into the primary driver since Jack Brabham in 1966 to win a championship at this stage of his profession. It’s a feat that might cement his legacy even additional, proving that have and ability can nonetheless overcome youth within the fashionable period of Components 1.
With Ferrari displaying robust competitiveness on the finish of the earlier season, Sky Sports activities commentator and F1 knowledgeable David Croft believes that 2025 might current Hamilton together with his finest alternative to win one other title. The regulation adjustments set for 2026 are anticipated to disrupt the present hierarchy, making this season doubtlessly the final probability to capitalize on a longtime pecking order earlier than the game undergoes a significant reset.
When discussing whether or not Hamilton faces extra strain to ship, former Dutch racing driver Jeroen Bleekemolen shared his ideas with RacingNews365.nl, explaining why the expectations surrounding Lewis Hamilton differ from these confronted by Fernando Alonso and Sebastian Vettel throughout their time at Ferrari.
Why Lewis Hamilton’s strain differs from Fernando Alonso and Sebastian Vettel’s Ferrari struggles
The British driver is set to make sure that his tenure at Ferrari doesn’t mirror these of Vettel and Alonso, each of whom got here shut however finally didn’t safe a title with the Scuderia. Whereas each drivers arrived with excessive expectations and immense expertise, they left with out fulfilling their championship ambitions, falling brief regardless of a number of near-misses.
In response to Jeroen Bleekemolen, the extent of strain Hamilton faces is essentially completely different. In contrast to Fernando Alonso and Sebastian Vettel, who had unfinished enterprise in F1 once they joined the Maranello workforce, Lewis Hamilton has already achieved nearly each file attainable within the sport. His legacy is safe, and there may be little left for him to show. As an alternative of preventing for validation, Lewis Hamilton’s transfer to Ferrari is about chasing an bold last problem—one which, if profitable, would solely additional solidify his place within the historical past books reasonably than outline his profession.
The Dutch skilled racing driver famous that at Ferrari, the strain is at all times immense, because the workforce faces extreme criticism in the event that they fail to supply a aggressive automobile. He identified that even with Fernando Alonso and Sebastian Vettel, the workforce was unable to safe a championship, and regardless of Alonso coming shut twice, his time at Ferrari was finally thought to be a failure.
He went on to clarify that Hamilton not must show something, as he’s at the moment the best driver within the sport. In response to Jeroen Bleekemolen, the one driver who might doubtlessly problem Hamilton’s legacy is Max Verstappen. He instructed that even when Hamilton had a poor season and determined to go away Components 1, his standing as the best of all time would stay intact. Nevertheless, he additionally believed that whereas Hamilton ought to keep away from placing an excessive amount of strain on himself, his robust motivation might make him unwilling to accept something lower than victory, with second place more likely to frustrate him.
The important thing statistic that might solidify Lewis Hamilton’s place among the many best drivers in F1 historical past
The Italian aspect will symbolize the primary occasion in Hamilton’s illustrious F1 profession the place he competes with a workforce powered by an engine aside from Mercedes. Having debuted in 2007 with McLaren, which utilized V8 engines, Hamilton’s affiliation with Mercedes has been a defining function of his profession.
It’s typically stated {that a} true F1 nice is measured by their adaptability and their capacity to safe a number of world championships with completely different groups. This can be a feat Juan Manuel Fangio exemplified together with his 5 titles throughout numerous producers.
Though Lewis Hamilton has already clinched championships with two completely different groups, profitable with a 3rd engine provider, notably one as famend as Ferrari, would undoubtedly cement his standing amongst F1’s all-time greats.
One potential state of affairs that would lead Hamilton to retire sooner than anticipated is that if Ferrari struggles to be aggressive all through the season. Nevertheless, it appears seemingly that Ferrari might supply him a reliable shot at capturing his first championship since 2021, retaining his championship aspirations alive.
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