Lewis Hamilton has been practicing his profession with Mercedes since 2013. The move to Ferrari was seen as the most significant driver transfer in F1 history. This caught the attention in the paddock and experts praised the partnership that would form between the two in 2025. However, former F1 boss Bernie Ecclestone criticized Hamilton’s acquisition, considering it a major inconvenience.
Hamilton fulfilled his long-time dream by joining Ferrari, surprising everyone by leaving his successful alliance with Mercedes. The paddock was full of speculation about how the most successful team in F1 would join forces with the statistically most successful driver in the sport. Despite the praise, Ecclestone downplayed the importance of the move. He stated that Ferrari now regrets hiring the seven-time world champion for the 2025 season, considering it more trouble than it’s worth.
Meanwhile, Hamilton’s 2024 season didn’t start well. This led experts to question whether Ferrari will regret letting their previous driver go to make room for the incoming British driver. Only time will tell how this partnership will unfold.
Although Ferrari claimed that the alliance with Hamilton was motivated by ego, Hamilton himself stated that there was never a close relationship between him and the 39-year-old team. Ecclestone believes that this lack of closeness ultimately led to Hamilton’s move to Ferrari.
At 93 years old, Ecclestone explained how the relationship between Hamilton and Mercedes deteriorated. He stated that the Austrian team boss initially had more confidence in his star driver, but over time, they drifted apart and trust diminished. This eventually led to a breakdown and Hamilton’s departure from Mercedes after the 2024 season.
As a result, Mercedes now faces the challenge of finding a replacement for the departing champion. With several options on the table, the team will need to make a decision quickly due to the unpredictable nature of the driver market.
