Damon Hill suggests 2025 could be 'Year of the GOAT' after Lewis Hamilton's Ferrari remarks
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Lewis Hamilton is eagerly anticipating his debut in a Ferrari Formula 1 car, with his first test fast approaching, though potential delays could push it back. If the test goes ahead as planned, it will take place in just over two weeks at Ferrari’s private Fiorano circuit. Ferrari fans have been waiting for success since the 2008 season when Kimi Raikkonen and Felipe Massa clinched the Constructors' Championship, and in the years since, the team has faced a series of near-misses. Most recently, Charles Leclerc finished as the runner-up in the 2022 Driver's Championship. Last season, he missed out on second place again, losing to Max Verstappen after a fierce battle with Lando Norris. However, with the promising end to Ferrari’s 2024 season, Leclerc enters 2025 with renewed optimism.
Ferrari's team principal, Frederic Vasseur, has already promised major updates to the car for 2025, with 99% of the car being revamped. Both Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc are likely keeping a close eye on how the car will evolve, but if Ferrari gets their development right, they should surpass McLaren when the season begins. Hamilton, in particular, has sent a message to Ferrari fans that is sure to stoke even more excitement for the 2025 season.
F1 legend Damon Hill has shared his thoughts on Hamilton’s upcoming move to Ferrari, speculating whether 2025 could be the seven-time world champion's year. Hill reacted to Hamilton's comments on LinkedIn, where Hamilton expressed his excitement for joining Ferrari, telling his followers to "embrace the change" that could come with this major shift. Despite the challenges Hamilton and Mercedes faced in the past three seasons, Hamilton's decision to leave behind the most successful partnership in Formula 1 history for a new chapter at Ferrari shocked the paddock. Hill, after reading Hamilton’s reflections, remarked on Instagram that it could very well be the “year of the GOAT.”
In his LinkedIn post, Lewis Hamilton shared: "I could not be more excited for the year ahead, moving to Scuderia Ferrari, there's a lot to reflect on." The British driver has already made efforts to integrate into his new environment, greeting Ferrari mechanics in Italian, understanding how vital it is to establish rapport within the team. How quickly Hamilton adapts to life at Ferrari could be the key factor in whether he clinches his eighth world championship or finds himself watching his competitors fight for the title this season.
Lewis Hamilton's move to Ferrari also places him in pursuit of a monumental achievement—breaking a 61-year-old record for British drivers at Ferrari. Only one British driver in history has won a title with the Maranello team: John Surtees, who secured his only championship in 1964, defeating racing legends Graham Hill and Jim Clark. Since then, several drivers, including Mike Hawthorn, Eddie Irvine, and Nigel Mansell, came close but failed to replicate Surtees’ success. The British driver, arguably more motivated than any of his predecessors, is in a prime position to end this long-standing drought for a British champion at Ferrari. However, whether he can make this historic breakthrough will depend on his performance during pre-season testing in Bahrain and the first race of the season in Australia, which will give a clearer indication of his title-contending potential.
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