Lewis Hamilton’s extremely anticipated swap to Ferrari has been beneath intense scrutiny all through the winter break as he prepares to make his debut with Components 1’s most iconic and traditionally profitable crew.
The Australian Grand Prix has already supplied Hamilton with two victories in his illustrious profession, and Ferrari’s passionate fanbase would love nothing greater than to see him add one other triumph within the well-known purple overalls. Nonetheless, the 2025 season might show to be Hamilton’s hardest problem but as he adapts to a wholly new setting at a time when competitors is tighter than ever.
For a number of years, the efficiency hole between groups has been steadily closing, and with 2025 marking the ultimate season beneath the present laws, the highest contenders are anticipated to be separated by mere hundredths of a second. This leaves Hamilton with little margin for error as he works to combine himself into Ferrari’s system and extract probably the most from their equipment.
Decided to hit the bottom working, Hamilton has been conducting intensive testing at each Fiorano and Barcelona whereas additionally counting on Ferrari’s state-of-the-art simulator to familiarize himself with the traits of their 2025 automotive. His preparation has even included an ‘excessive’ setup adjustment throughout a current Pirelli tyre take a look at—an experiment designed to supply perception into how subsequent season’s automotive would possibly deal with beneath completely different situations.
Sky Sports activities F1 analyst Bernie Collins just lately shared her ideas on Hamilton’s upcoming Ferrari debut throughout an episode of The Pink Flags Podcast. Whereas she expressed enthusiasm about seeing the seven-time World Champion in Scuderia purple, she additionally highlighted a number of vital hurdles he’ll face. In line with Collins, Hamilton’s street again to profitable methods shall be something however simple, as he should take care of unfamiliar automotive dynamics, a brand new crew setting, and one of the vital aggressive grids in current historical past.
When requested about Lewis Hamilton’s transfer to the Maranello crew, Bernie Collins remarked that it could be fascinating to comply with. She emphasised that the problem of the British driver transitioning to Ferrari shouldn’t be underestimated, noting that he had by no means pushed a Ferrari-powered automotive earlier than. In line with her, even primary features resembling engine operation, mode choice, power harvesting, and energy deployment could be solely completely different from what he was accustomed to.
Bernie Collins identified that Ferrari makes use of distinct radio terminology and that Lewis Hamilton would want to regulate to new instinctive actions, resembling the place to press numerous buttons. She believed these variations within the automotive would current a big problem for him. Nonetheless, she additionally recommended that he would seemingly get pleasure from and embrace the expertise, as he tends to thrive when pushed to his limits.
Past the technical changes, Bernie Collins highlighted the cultural shift Lewis Hamilton would face, given Ferrari’s distinctive operational model and fully new personnel and engineers. She questioned whether or not he would be capable to maximize his qualifying performances to make sure he was well-positioned for strategic selections on race day.
Moreover, Bernie Collins famous that Mercedes had lengthy constructed its construction round Hamilton, whereas at Ferrari, he would not be on the middle of the crew. Whereas she had not anticipated his transfer final 12 months, she expressed pleasure about seeing how the transition would unfold.
Hamilton’s Qualifying Struggles May Tip the Scales in Leclerc’s Favor
As Bernie Collins highlights, Hamilton faces a steep studying curve at Ferrari, with restricted time to adapt to a wholly new setting earlier than the season begins.
In the meantime, the Monegasque driver holds a big benefit in familiarity, having spent years immersed in Ferrari’s programs, procedures, and the distinctive intricacies of their Components 1 equipment. This deep understanding has helped him turn into one of many grid’s strongest qualifiers—an space the place Lewis Hamilton has just lately struggled.
Charles Leclerc’s qualifying prowess might show decisive, significantly given Lewis Hamilton’s frequent complaints final season about his one-lap efficiency at Mercedes. If these points persist into his Ferrari tenure, it might put him at a strategic drawback proper from the beginning of every race weekend.
Ferrari’s race-day technique typically revolves across the driver with superior observe place, which implies that if Leclerc constantly outqualifies Lewis Hamilton, crew principal Frédéric Vasseur could have little alternative however to favor the Monegasque driver in important race eventualities.
Whereas the British driver is unlikely to just accept a secondary position, his final aim at Ferrari is to assert a record-breaking eighth championship. Nonetheless, earlier than he can tackle the remainder of the grid, his greatest and most quick problem could also be overcoming the teammate standing in his means.
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