Lewis Hamilton Confident of Winning Eighth Title with Ferrari After SF-25 Debut
Lewis Hamilton’s debut in Ferrari’s all-new SF-25 has sparked a renewed sense of optimism in the seven-time world champion. After his first outing with the Scuderia team on Wednesday, Hamilton confidently stated that Ferrari has everything needed to secure the Formula 1 World Championship — and he’s ready to help them achieve that goal.
Speaking from Maranello, Hamilton emphasized that despite being in the early stages of his transition to Ferrari, he’s already more hopeful than ever about claiming an unprecedented eighth world championship title. “Yes,” Hamilton replied when asked if Ferrari was ready to win. Drawing from his vast experience with championship-winning teams, including McLaren and Mercedes, Hamilton expressed admiration for Ferrari’s passion, leadership, and resources.
“I’ve worked with two world championship-winning teams before. I know what a winning team looks and feels like,” Hamilton said. “The passion here is like nothing you’ve ever seen. They’ve got absolutely every ingredient they need to win a world championship. It’s just about putting all the pieces together.”
Ferrari’s last drivers’ world title came in 2007 with Kimi Raikkonen, while the Scuderia last captured the constructors’ title in 2008. With the team finishing runners-up to McLaren last year, Ferrari is determined to reclaim its place at the top. Red Bull’s dominance, led by Max Verstappen, has only added to the competition, but Hamilton believes Ferrari has the potential to challenge for the championship.
“It’s going to be close at the top, but I’ve got a great teammate,” Hamilton continued, referring to his new teammate Charles Leclerc, who was the runner-up in 2022. “The energy that I’m receiving from the team, there’s magic here. It’s going to take a lot of hard work and grafting from absolutely everyone, and everyone’s putting that in already to achieve it, but it’s also about belief.”
Hamilton’s desire to win a record-breaking eighth title is clear, and he’s not planning on retiring if he achieves that feat. “If I was fortunate enough to win another title, which is obviously what we’re setting out to do, I don’t see myself stopping,” said the Briton, who will begin his 19th F1 season at the 2025 Australian Grand Prix on March 16.
Meanwhile, Leclerc, who has long been Ferrari’s lead driver, welcomed Hamilton’s arrival. “Lewis is coming into the team at the right time,” Leclerc said. “The fact that Lewis has joined the team has been a big boost and has been amazing in so many ways.”
Team boss Fred Vasseur also praised Hamilton’s impact on the team, highlighting his fresh energy and calm demeanor amid the high expectations. “The team is very, very calm and very clear in what is the direction to work in,” Vasseur added.
With Hamilton at the helm, Ferrari looks poised to challenge for the 2025 Formula 1 season — and for Hamilton, this could be the year to achieve his long-awaited eighth title.
The team, along with others, is now preparing for the 2025 F1 preseason in Bahrain from February 26 to 28, with the season officially kicking off in Melbourne.