Lewis Hamilton warned Ferrari will not alter key aspect of race strategy in 2025 F1 season
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Scuderia Ferrari is gearing up for a significant transformation ahead of the 2025 Formula 1 campaign, as the Maranello team prepares to welcome its first full-time British driver in 35 years.
Lewis Hamilton, the seven-time world champion, has made the move from Mercedes to Ferrari with the ambitious goal of securing an eighth Drivers' Championship. This shift comes on the back of a near-miss for Ferrari last season, when they narrowly missed ending a 16-year title drought, finishing just 14 points behind McLaren in the Constructors' Championship. The team, which has been in need of an added boost, hopes that Hamilton’s arrival will provide the spark they need to return to the top.
The combination of Charles Leclerc and Hamilton offers Ferrari a rare blend of youth, experience, and unmatched talent that no other team on the grid can boast. Their partnership is expected to be a thrilling one, with fans eagerly anticipating the dynamic between the two drivers.
However, Gerhard Berger has pointed out that Lewis Hamilton may face a significant challenge at Ferrari, particularly when it comes to Charles Leclerc, who could prove to be too strong an adversary for the 39-year-old. Meanwhile, Charles Leclerc has been cautioned against getting involved in a bitter rivalry with Lewis Hamilton, as it could result in consequences neither of them would want to face.
2025 will also mark a major milestone in Lewis Hamilton’s career, as it will be the first time in his 18 years in Formula 1 that he won’t be driving a car with a Mercedes engine. Bernie Collins, a former strategist, has warned that Lewis Hamilton's biggest challenge at Ferrari will likely be adjusting to the new power unit, which he hopes will propel him back to the top of the field. In addition to getting familiar with the new car's driveability and reliability, Lewis Hamilton will need to learn how to handle the machinery effectively in time for the season opener in Melbourne.
The British driver will get his first chance to test the 2025 Ferrari at the Fiorano circuit on February 19, just one day after the official launch of the F1-75. However, former F1 strategist Mike Caulfield doesn’t expect Ferrari to make any significant changes to their approach for Hamilton. He believes the team will stick with their established strategy, regardless of the new driver on board. The former Mercedes and HAAS F1 strategist suggested that he doesn’t believe Ferrari will change their approach, not in a negative sense, but that they will simply say, “We’re looking at it, this is what we’re doing.”
Lewis Hamilton will need to develop a 'very important relationship' with a key Ferrari figure in 2025, as he begins his new chapter with the Scuderia. Among the familiar faces he will encounter is Loic Serra, a former Mercedes engineer who has now joined Ferrari.
Hamilton has also worked with Jock Clear during his first championship-winning season with Mercedes, and Clear’s move to Ferrari in 2015 means that their professional paths will cross again.
Former F1 strategist Mike Caulfield highlighted how crucial it will be for Hamilton to build a strong rapport with Clear, as this could significantly improve his chances of success at the Maranello team.
He explained that with the new voices and team dynamics at Ferrari, the British driver’s relationship with Jock Clear would be vital. Having worked together in the past, their established connection would be key to Lewis Hamilton settling into the team and the engineering setup. Caulfield emphasized that Clear is particularly adept at managing the exchange of information between engineers and drivers, helping to bring out the best in people—a skill that will be invaluable in the seven-time Formula 1 world champion’s quest for even more success.
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