The unlikely possibility of Lewis Hamilton parting ways with Ferrari after 2025 F1 championship
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There is considerable excitement surrounding the upcoming battle between Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc at Ferrari in the 2025 Formula 1 campaign.
Over the past few years, Lewis Hamilton has faced mixed results, with George Russell getting the better of him in two out of their three seasons together at Mercedes. However, Hamilton has a strong track record of outperforming teammates, notably surpassing both Nico Rosberg and Valtteri Bottas, with Nico Rosberg being the only one to have defeated him consistently, doing so only once in 2016.
Former Ferrari team manager Peter Windsor predicts that Charles Leclerc could be the British driver’s most formidable challenger yet, especially given that Hamilton will no longer have the advantage of a teammate willing to serve as a secondary support driver, as he had with Valtteri Bottas at Mercedes.
Leclerc, who has spent six years at Ferrari, has deeply ingrained himself in the team's culture. He also rose through Ferrari's academy program and is managed by Nicholas Todt, the son of the former Ferrari CEO. These long-standing ties make the Monegasque a significant figure within Ferrari and an even more challenging rival for Hamilton.
Journalist Scott Mitchell-Malm, speaking on The Race podcast, highlighted a potential scenario where Hamilton could consider leaving Ferrari after the 2025 Formula 1 season. According to Mitchell-Malm, one key factor that might influence Hamilton's future at the Maranello team is the competitiveness of the 2025 campaign.
Lewis Hamilton, now at the age of 40, will undoubtedly want to compete for race wins and titles immediately. As he nears the end of his illustrious career, the pressure to succeed is greater than ever. While Ferrari's recent performance has been inconsistent, the team has still produced cars capable of winning races, an area where Mercedes has struggled since the new regulations took effect in 2022.
If Ferrari's performance in 2025 proves to be underwhelming or uncompetitive, there could be a scenario where the British driver decides to part ways with the team at the end of the season.
Scott Mitchell-Malm suggested that the only possible change for 2026, which he deemed extremely unlikely, would be if Hamilton's 2025 season went terribly, leading him to decide that he could no longer continue. He speculated that if Hamilton were to be consistently outperformed by Charles Leclerc, he might choose to retire. In that case, Ferrari could potentially look to bring in Oliver Bearman, especially if the Ferrari junior had a standout season at Haas. Mitchell-Malm noted that such a scenario would likely be necessary to prompt a shake-up in Ferrari's driver lineup.
Edd Straw agreed with Mitchell-Malm, stating that it was highly improbable for the Ferrari lineup not to feature Hamilton and Leclerc.
Lewis Hamilton’s initial experiences with Ferrari are already shedding light on the challenges he will face in 2025. His move to the team has generated a tremendous amount of excitement, with an estimated 3,000 fans attending his first test session at Fiorano. This level of enthusiasm is only expected to grow as Hamilton participates in additional tests, leading up to the official launch of Ferrari’s 2025 car on February 19th. The anticipation will continue to build as the first pre-season test in Bahrain approaches, giving fans their first look at the full lineup of cars for the upcoming season.
As one of the most popular drivers on the grid, Hamilton's transition to Ferrari has attracted the attention of F1 fans around the world. Many are eager to see how he adapts to his new team and how the relationship will develop between him and his race engineer, Riccardo Adami. Adami, known for his success working with Sebastian Vettel and Carlos Sainz, is expected to be a key figure in Hamilton's 2025 campaign. The two have already worked together during private tests in Fiorano and Barcelona, and it is anticipated that Riccardo Adami will be Hamilton's primary race engineer for the upcoming season.
Despite encountering a setback during the Barcelona test, Ferrari engineers reported that Hamilton's impressions were largely positive. The feedback indicates that Hamilton is adjusting well to his new surroundings. He is also scheduled to continue testing this week, with a focus on evaluating the Pirelli tyres for the 2026 season, a critical element in preparing for the challenges ahead.
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