Dream move or nightmare in waiting? Lewis Hamilton on red alert with Ferrari
The seven-time world champion begins his 19th Formula One season with the most famous team on the grid.
The eyes of the sporting world will be on Lewis Hamilton when the lights go out for Sunday’s season-opening Australian Grand Prix.
Hamilton will fulfil a lifelong ambition by starting his 19th Formula One campaign in the red of Ferrari following a mouth-watering transfer from Mercedes which is set to earn him north of £100million.
However, with change comes extraordinary pressure.
Hamilton is widely considered F1’s G.O.A.T. No driver boasts more victories or pole positions in the sport’s 75-year history, his record tally of seven world championships is one he shares with Michael Schumacher and he transcends the sport. But it is not hyperbole to suggest Hamilton’s legacy is on the line.
This move – which came to fruition after Hamilton grew weary with the once all-conquering Mercedes team – will go one of two ways.
For Hamilton, and his legion of fans, it will end with a fairytale eighth championship – one the British driver felt he was cruelly denied at the controversial 2021 season decider in Abu Dhabi 1,193 days ago.
Yet, there is a danger it could go in the other direction.
Recent evidence – admittedly in an under-performing and confidence-sapping Mercedes – suggests Hamilton might no longer be the force he was.
He has taken just two wins from his last 69 outings. Max Verstappen, bidding to take a fifth consecutive crown, has landed 44 during the same period.
Hamilton was soundly beaten by George Russell at Mercedes in 2024, out-qualified 19 times across 24 rounds. At the penultimate race in Qatar, Hamilton, unprovoked, questioned whether he still has what it takes to compete at the top level. It was a jaw-dropping remark that shone a light on his waning self-belief.
At Ferrari, his new team-mate, Charles Leclerc, is considered by many to be the grid’s standout qualifier. Privately, a number of drivers believe the Monegasque will take Hamilton to the cleaners over one lap this year.
And what about Hamilton’s age? He turned 40 in January. No modern-day driver has been in the battle for glory in their fifth decade. Schumacher’s comeback with Mercedes in 2010 (he was 41 at the time) yielded only one podium finish and a best championship ranking of eighth in three seasons.
Yes, Fernando Alonso (44 later this year) is still showing flashes of brilliance but he is not competing in the spotlight of a championship challenge. He has not won a race since 2013 and he took the last of his two titles 19 years ago.
To Hamilton’s credit, he looks leaner and fitter than in recent times. He is out to prove a point and is clearly re-energised at Ferrari following the darkest period of his career. He should never be written off.
Hamilton is revelling in being hailed like a god by the tifosi. It feels as though he has the goodwill of the sport behind him, too. And he does not want us to consider this his last dance – he said at Ferrari’s season launch he believes he could now drive beyond his 50th birthday.
With his new employers, Hamilton is so far living the dream. But it is now all on him to ensure this most fascinating of chapters in F1 history does not turn into a nightmare.
