Anticipations are high as the world awaits the debut of Lewis Hamilton as a Ferrari team-mate in the 2025 F1 season. Guenther Steiner, a seasoned observer of the sport, foresees Charles Leclerc, Hamilton’s new teammate, potentially outpacing the seven-time World Champion. However, Steiner stipulates that Leclerc’s success hinges on his ability to absorb and emulate the race strategies that have made Hamilton an icon in the field.
Hamilton’s switch to Ferrari, a childhood dream come true, follows an illustrious 12-year career with Mercedes, crowned by six World Championships. This transition sets the stage for a new dynamic with Leclerc, who himself is entering his seventh season with the Italian racing giant. Leclerc now finds himself sharing a garage with Hamilton, following Carlos Sainz’s departure to Williams, a move anticipated even before the 2024 season unfolded.
The last season with Mercedes wasn’t particularly smooth sailing for Hamilton. He was bested by George Russell in head-to-head encounters, both in race and qualifying trim, with scores of 9-15 and 5-19 respectively. As he gears up for his Ferrari journey, Hamilton also faces the challenge of disproving skeptics, while simultaneously chasing an unprecedented eighth World Championship.
In a recent CNN interview, Steiner speculated that Ferrari, along with McLaren, would emerge as the leading forces in the F1 2025 season. While many believe McLaren to be the favorites this season, Steiner suggests that Ferrari will be nipping at their heels. He attributes this prediction not to the romantic vision of Hamilton donning the red of Ferrari, but to the significant strides Ferrari made in the latter half of the previous season.
Steiner opines, “Ferrari showed marked improvement as the last season progressed. Each time they implemented a change, they registered an uptick in speed. They seem to have deciphered the formula to success. My faith in Ferrari is not rooted in emotion, but in their technical prowess.”
However, should Ferrari succeed in their quest for a title, the question arises: who between Hamilton and Leclerc would be the team’s “lead driver”? Steiner’s prediction leans towards Leclerc, contingent on the younger driver’s ability to gather and apply Hamilton’s race expertise.
Steiner contends, “Lewis has an excellent track record in race management, but age is catching up with him. Charles, being much younger, can potentially outperform him. If he can effectively adopt Lewis’s race acumen, gleaned from their time together as teammates, I foresee Charles emerging as the lead driver by the end of the season.”
This season promises to be a thrilling one, with all eyes on the Ferrari garage as Hamilton and Leclerc gear up for a potentially historic run.