Will Ferrari Take Hamilton Back to the Top of F1?

This is the question everyone is asking: ‘Will Ferrari take Sir Lewis Hamilton back to the top?’

Don’t worry, Sir Lewis, we won’t bring up your preseason testing crash. Or will we? Because everyone else is talking about it. And if you’re Lewis Hamilton, who had an underwhelming final season at Mercedes, you probably wish nobody was talking about it. It was during his second day of testing runs in Barcelona, with his team stating, “They’re not worried,” as Hamilton has 20 years of experience and championships under his belt.

Still, it’s not the type of press you want going into a new team. Does it ring alarm bells that Ferrari might not be the team to take Hamilton back to the top? Read on to find out.

The Challenge of Adapting to Ferrari’s Philosophy

Each of the F1 teams has its strengths and weaknesses, but Ferrari stands out among them. If anything, we’d say all that’s left to fix a Ferrari is a few internal decision-making skills. The car isn’t that far off being at the top. On a good day and on the right track, it is on top.

Still, the philosophy at Ferrari is something the driver has to embody. It seems like something different to Mercedes. The weight of the Ferrari brand runs so much deeper for the team than Mercedes.

How will Hamilton cope with that pressure? Time will tell. Everything and anything Hamilton does will be scrutinized, by supporters and the Italian press. If you’re betting on 10bet Sports Betting in South Africa, will it be for Hamilton to win?

Fred Vasseur, the team principal of Ferrari, seems to be the only one unconcerned with Hamilton’s ability to perform. It’ll be interesting to see if that confidence can be turned into success on the track.

Can Ferrari Provide the Car Hamilton Needs?

Hamilton’s greatest pain point at Mercedes was quite evident: an unreliable car that is not even close to Red Bull. Both the W14 and W15 were a couple of years behind in terms of powered downforce and the control required to beat Max Verstappen. Still, there’s no denying that George did manage to get more from the car, but critics say this is only because development naturally went more towards George’s side of the garage with Hamilton leaving.

Whether Ferrari can give him a machine to win races almost immediately is the real issue. Ferrari made strides throughout 2024, but they suffered from poor tire life and did not have the power needed to compete with the Red Bull. Even the McLaren came closer in terms of speed.

The Dynamic Between Hamilton and Leclerc

This one will be interesting. Hamilton is naturally an overwhelming power, but Ferrari is a team that has been Charles Leclerc’s domain since 2019. Sainz and Leclerc had a great relationship, but it was still undoubtedly Leclerc’s team.

He is Ferrari! The Monegasque racer has crafted his entire career in F1 around the dream of being a Ferrari world champion. Now, he has to share the limelight with a 7-time world champion.

Leclerc definitely isn’t the easiest of challengers to have.

It will be interesting to see how it plays out. Will the Scuderia grant the two drivers the freedom to race, or will they have a strict number one and two driver policy? We know for sure that Hamilton won’t be looking to settle for being in the background.

Is 2025 Ferrari’s Best Shot at a Championship?

The Scuderia Ferrari team needs to be under a great deal of pressure. Their last drivers’ championship was in 2007, won by Kimi Räikkönen, and they haven’t had a constructors title since 2008. That’s 17 years of waiting for the Tifosi.

2025 might be the best opportunity for them before the onslaught of regulations in 2026. Mercedes is still having issues with their car concept, McLaren is improving but not completely dominant, and Red Bull, who is still the team to beat, will have to divert resources to the new rule set eventually.

Sky Sports F1 commentator David Croft thinks this might be Hamilton’s best chance at his eighth title. If Ferrari fails to maximize this season, they might have to face another long dry spell.

The Competition: Verstappen, Norris, and the Rest

Even with a good car and a functional team, Hamilton will have to fight through the stiffest allocation of competition. The competition for him to ease into is McLaren’s Lando Norris, reigning champion Max Verstappen, and Mercedes. Verstappen has been the benchmark for the last four seasons, and Norris has become a serious contender with a lot of backing, even from Nico Rosberg. Even his old teammate, George Russell, is likely to be his close competition.

Even if he has the car, his competition won’t make it easy.

Lewis Hamilton’s shift to Ferrari stems from more than a child’s dream. If the 2025 season means wins, that cements the debate of being the greatest of all time. If he doesn’t, he will reap the consequences of negative critique for leaving Mercedes.

Last Updated on February 18, 2025