The doubters have been circling, but Sir Jackie Stewart has a warning for them—write off Lewis Hamilton at your own peril. The three-time Formula 1 World Champion insists that the seven-time champ is more experienced, sharper, and just as dangerous as ever as he embarks on his new chapter with Ferrari in 2025.
Hamilton’s high-profile switch from Mercedes to the Prancing Horse dominated headlines, but questions over his ability to still fight for championships have lingered. Some believe his golden years are behind him. Others argue that his move to Ferrari is a gamble that won’t pay off. But for Stewart, the Brit remains a formidable force in the sport—one that could still rewrite the record books with an eighth world title.
Hamilton’s Ferrari Era Begins with Highs and Lows
The 40-year-old has already turned his first laps in Ferrari red, shaking down the SF-23 at Fiorano before heading to Barcelona for more extensive running. However, his highly anticipated outing wasn’t without drama—Hamilton spun off and crashed the car, sending shockwaves through the paddock.
Despite the setback, testing has continued in full force. He’s since taken part in further running in a modified version of Ferrari’s 2024 challenger, aiding Pirelli’s tire development for the upcoming season. While some see this as teething issues in his adaptation to Ferrari’s unique machinery, others have begun questioning whether he still has what it takes to compete at the highest level.
Sky Sports commentator David Croft suggested that Hamilton’s best shot at an eighth world title will be in 2025—before the sweeping new regulations shake up the grid in 2026. But Stewart believes that underestimating Hamilton, especially in a Ferrari, is a mistake.
Stewart: “Hamilton is More Experienced Than Ever”
Speaking to Sky F1, Stewart admitted he was surprised by Hamilton’s decision to leave the team that delivered him six of his seven world titles. However, he remains confident that Ferrari’s prestige, combined with Hamilton’s racing intelligence, could make them a lethal combination.
“He’s more experienced than he was last year and the years before that. He knows the business very well,” Stewart explained.
“Going to Ferrari is very colourful, very exciting, and usually very successful. I wouldn’t count them out, to put it that way.”
The Ferrari Championship Drought—Can Hamilton End It?
For all its history, Ferrari hasn’t crowned a World Champion since Kimi Räikkönen edged out Hamilton by a single point in 2007. Their last Constructors’ Championship came in 2008—an agonizingly long wait for the most iconic team in motorsport.
Since taking the reins in 2023, team principal Frédéric Vasseur has been leading Ferrari’s charge back to the top. Last season, they came within touching distance of toppling Red Bull but fell just short of their first title in over a decade. Now, with Hamilton onboard, Ferrari is doubling down on its ambitions.
Stewart underlined just how significant the move is—not just for Hamilton, but for the sport as a whole.
“Ferrari is the biggest name in the world,” the 85-year-old racing legend stated.
“If you went to a Masai warrior in the middle of Africa and said, ‘Do you know anything about Ferrari?’ They would know the name Ferrari.”
A Formidable Partnership: Hamilton and Leclerc
Hamilton isn’t just entering Ferrari—he’s stepping into a partnership with Charles Leclerc, the team’s golden boy since 2018. Leclerc, still chasing his first title, had a breakthrough season in 2022 but was ultimately undone by strategic blunders and driver errors. Now, with Hamilton alongside him, the dynamic inside Ferrari’s garage is set to be electric.
Can Hamilton roll back the years and mount a serious challenge in his debut season in red? Will Ferrari finally break its championship drought? Or will the dream of an eighth title remain just out of reach? One thing is certain: F1’s biggest move in years is about to unleash a season of pure drama.
