A 103-time winner of the Grand Prix and a seven-time F1 World Champion, all achieved with the power of Mercedes, Hamilton made the decision to leave the German team and join Ferrari. This move brings together the most renowned and successful team in the sport with the greatest driver of this era.
In addition, Hamilton’s departure from Mercedes may have come at an opportune time, as the team’s performance is declining while Ferrari is on the rise. This mirrors his decision a decade ago to leave McLaren for Mercedes, despite the advice and criticism he faced.
While the Hamilton Ferrari Chapter has the potential to be extraordinary, it is not without risks. There is a possibility that Charles Leclerc, like he did with Sebastian Vettel, could outperform and overshadow Sir Lewis, which would be the team’s objective.
This raises several questions, the most prominent being: Does the 39-year-old Hamilton of today possess the same skills and abilities he had when he was 28 and joined Mercedes in 2013? Was it worth hiring him instead of the in-form and highly impressive Carlos Sainz? Can Ferrari manage this situation effectively?
In his latest column for UniBet, Hakkinen expresses his thoughts: “It is evident that the team’s focus has been on Charles Leclerc, who has a long-term contract. Therefore, the news of Lewis Hamilton joining the Italian team in 2025 raises some concerns. Will the team be able to provide equal opportunities to both Charles and Lewis?”
“We have witnessed the destructive nature of equal status within a team before,” Hakkinen recalls, referring to the time when Nico Rosberg and Hamilton were teammates at Mercedes. He also mentions the infamous rivalry between Ayrton Senna and Alain Prost at McLaren.
Regarding the sidelining of Carlos Sainz, who won the Australian Grand Prix and secured Ferrari’s second victory in eight months, Hakkinen remarks: “It is astonishing to think that Carlos Sainz Jr., one of the fastest and most consistent performers in F1, does not currently have a drive for the next season.”
“In my opinion, Carlos deserves a competitive drive in a team that values consistency, speed, and experience. Mercedes would greatly benefit from his talent as they strive to regain competitiveness. Aston Martin could also consider Carlos, but let’s not forget that he began his F1 career at Scuderia Toro Rosso. Red Bull is well aware of his capabilities,” Häkkinen adds, hinting at reports suggesting that the World Champions are interested in bringing the Spaniard back to their team.