Lewis Hamilton is now officially a Red. The switch from Team Mercedes to Scuderia Ferrari has once again raised high hopes in Maranello and among the tifosi.
08.01.2025, 05:00
08.01.2025, 06:43
SDA
Hamilton chose his first words carefully when he took up his position with his new employer. His message was fitting for the new chapter in his professional life. "To all those who want to take the next step this year: Embrace the change," he announced on social media. Hamilton knows what he is writing about. He is taking this next, quite daring step. The record-breaking world champion, who turned 40 on Tuesday, is taking on an enormous challenge with his switch from Mercedes to Ferrari.
Hamilton has a clear vision of his mission. He wants to lead the Scuderia back to the throne in Formula 1 like Michael Schumacher, with whom he shares the record of seven world championship titles. He wants to do better than other big names before him. As a two-time Formula 1 champion, Fernando Alonso failed to satisfy the Reds' longing for new glory. Sebastian Vettel was equally unable to live up to the high expectations after his four titles in the service of the Red Bull team.
The longing
The longing for the next Formula 1 world champion in a Ferrari has now lasted 17 years. Kimi Räikkönen was the last to have caused boundless ecstasy. The Finn prevailed in a dramatic three-way battle against the then debutants Hamilton and Alonso, who had fought an internal duel in the cars of the McLaren team that was characterized by resentment and mutual contempt and ultimately manoeuvred each other into the sidelines.
17 years - a long time, too long a phase without any great success for the Ferrari institution. The constant setbacks were all the more painful as they had often done a lot of things right in Maranello from a technical point of view, i.e. when building the car, but had repeatedly got in their own way through their own fault. Too much went wrong too often. Mistakes ran like a red thread through many a season for the Reds.
With the signing of Hamilton, which was made public before the start of the last world championship, everything at Ferrari is set to improve once again. The Englishman is of course aware of his role as the new savior. He is aware of the pressure on his shoulders and the expectations that his signature on the multi-year contract has triggered.
The special symbiosis
Ferrari and Hamilton. This is the symbiosis between the most successful driver and the most successful racing team in Formula 1 history. Naturally, this partnership arouses desire. In addition to his seven world championship titles, Hamilton has 105 Grand Prix victories in his palmarès. Ferrari is the team that still exerts the greatest fascination in the elite class of motorsport. The Italians are the only team to have contested all Formula 1 seasons since 1950 and can point to the largest number of races and world championship titles won. The legend of the brand has attracted almost all the icons of the sport to Maranello - from Alberto Ascari to Juan-Manuel Fangio and Hamilton's former sponsor Niki Lauda to Schumacher.
Despite all the euphoria surrounding the signing of Hamilton, there is still room for uncertainty. The question of what he is still capable of on the racetracks of this world at the age of 40 will accompany the Englishman. The first opportunity to dispel any doubts will be the official test drives at the end of February on the Sakhir circuit in Bahrain. The season opener will take place in mid-March with the Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne.
The strong team-mate
The point of reference for Hamilton will of course be his new team-mate Charles Leclerc. After six years as an employee of Ferrari, the Monegasque is well integrated and is not willing to leave the big stage to the "new guy". He is ready and able to stand up to Hamilton.
The Englishman will have to prove himself. He cannot hope for special treatment. His status will be the same as that of Leclerc. The only thing that will count is performance. Hamilton will have to deliver - and he will do everything he can to live up to the high expectations. The prospect of putting down another big marker in the late fall of his career is tempting enough for him to do everything in his power.
The media and the specialist press in Italy believe in Hamilton. "At the age of forty, he is ready to write another chapter, perhaps the most fascinating, in his incredible career," said the commentator of the "Gazzetta dello Sport". The Briton himself reinforced his belief in the success of his endeavor in another post on social media. "Remember that reinventing yourself is huge," he said. The next opportunity for greatness is always within reach. "Let's make it a year to remember."
