Lewis Hamilton has been plying his trade with Mercedes since 2013. The move to Ferrari was seen as the most significant driver transfer in F1 history. It gained attention in the paddock, and experts praised the partnership that would form between the two in 2025. However, former F1 boss Bernie Ecclestone has criticized the acquisition of Hamilton, considering it to be too much of a hassle.
Hamilton fulfilled his long-standing dream of joining Ferrari, shocking everyone by leaving his record-breaking alliance with Mercedes. The paddock was abuzz with speculation about how the most successful team in F1 would pair up with the statistically most successful driver in the sport. Despite the accolades, Ecclestone downplayed the significance of the move. He claimed that Ferrari now regrets acquiring the seven-time world champion for the 2025 season, considering it to be more trouble than it’s worth.
Meanwhile, Hamilton’s 2024 season hasn’t started off well. This has led experts to question whether Ferrari will regret letting go of their previous driver to make room for the incoming Brit. Only time will tell how this partnership unfolds.
Although Ferrari claimed that the alliance with Hamilton was driven by ego, Hamilton himself stated that there was never a close relationship between him and the 39-year-old team. Ecclestone believes that this lack of closeness ultimately led to Hamilton’s move to Ferrari.
Ecclestone, 93, explained how the relationship between Hamilton and Mercedes broke down. He claimed that the Austrian team boss initially had more trust in his star driver, but over time, they grew distant and the trust diminished. This eventually led to a fallout and Hamilton’s departure from Mercedes after the 2024 season.
As a result, Mercedes now faces the challenge of finding a replacement for the departing champion. With several options on the table, the team will need to make a decision quickly due to the unpredictable nature of the driver market.