A winner of 103 Grand Prix races and a seven-time F1 world champion, all achieved with the power of Mercedes, Hamilton has made the decision to leave the German team and join Ferrari. This move brings together the most renowned and successful team in the sport with the greatest driver of this era.
Furthermore, Hamilton’s departure from Mercedes may have come at an opportune time, as the team’s performance is declining while Ferrari is on the rise. This reflects his decision a decade ago to leave McLaren for Mercedes, despite the advice and criticism he faced.
Although the Hamilton Ferrari chapter has the potential to be extraordinary, it is not without risks. There is a possibility that Charles Leclerc, just as he did with Sebastian Vettel, could surpass and overshadow Sir Lewis, which would be the team’s goal.
This raises several questions, with the most prominent being: Does today’s 39-year-old Hamilton have the same skills and abilities he had when he was 28 and joined Mercedes in 2013? Was it worth signing him instead of the in-form and highly impressive Carlos Sainz? Will Ferrari be able to manage this situation effectively?
In his latest column for UniBet, Hakkinen expresses his thoughts: “It is clear that the team’s focus has been on Charles Leclerc, who has a long-term contract. Therefore, the news of Lewis Hamilton joining the Italian team in 2025 raises some concerns. Will the team be able to provide equal opportunities for Charles and Lewis?”
“We have already witnessed the destructive nature of equal status within a team before,” Hakkinen recalls, referring to the time when Nico Rosberg and Hamilton were teammates at Mercedes. He also mentions the infamous rivalry between Ayrton Senna and Alain Prost at McLaren.
About the marginalization of Carlos Sainz, who won the Australian Grand Prix and secured Ferrari’s second victory in eight months, Hakkinen comments: “It is surprising to think that Carlos Sainz Jr., one of the fastest and most consistent drivers in F1, does not have a contract for next season.”
“In my opinion, Carlos deserves a competitive spot in a team that values consistency, speed, and experience. Mercedes would greatly benefit from his talent as they seek to regain competitiveness. Aston Martin could also consider Carlos, but we must not forget that he started his F1 career at Scuderia Toro Rosso. Red Bull is well aware of his capabilities,” Häkkinen adds, hinting at reports suggesting that the world champions are interested in bringing the Spaniard back to their team.
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