Hamilton's team switch: Ferrari gambles on new red storm for 2025 F1 season

Hamilton is hungry for a podium finish. His move from Mercedes to Ferrari could be a recipe for success or a disaster in the making

“Everybody’s a Ferrari fan. If you go to the Mercedes guys… even if they say ‘Oh yeah, Mercedes is the greatest brand in the world,’ they are Ferrari fans,” remarked Sebastian Vettel to a reporter who wasn't exactly cheering for the Scarlet team. A few years later, those words couldn't have rung more true, much to the chagrin of Toto Wolff, CEO of the Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 team and head of Mercedes-Benz Motorsport.

Motorsport has witnessed significant moves over the years, from Fernando Alonso swapping Renault for McLaren to Sebastian Vettel departing Red Bull for Ferrari. However, few shifts have carried as much weight as Lewis Hamilton revealing his move from Mercedes-AMG Petronas to Scuderia Ferrari for the 2025 season – marking one of the most significant driver switches in history.

The announcement has catapulted Formula One's (F1) driver market 'silly season' for 2025 into overdrive. This is the season when possible changes in team lineups leave several drivers uncertain about their seats on the racing track.

Hamilton’s move promises a cascade of opportunities, potential drama, and ripple effects that will reverberate through this season and beyond.

The seven-time world champion is eager to reclaim his place atop the podium and vie for another world crown. Yet, the added motivation of switching to a different team should not be underestimated.

What Ferrari gains, Mercedes loses. While George Russell has a fantastic opportunity, Charles Leclerc emerges as the gold standard. However, with new regulations in play, every team on the grid eyes a comeback, including Mercedes.

With a combined total of 23 championships, Ferrari and Hamilton aim to resurrect a dream that has been dormant for too long. The lingering question, though, remains: Can they achieve this feat together?

Mercedes on a bumpy track?

Accustomed to consistent victories, particularly after Niki Lauda’s arrival on the team, Mercedes faced a setback in 2023 despite finishing second in the Constructors' standings. Their dominant streak of eight consecutive titles came to an end, marking 2023 as a disappointment with only one win.

Wolff, Mercedes' F1 team principal, accepted Hamilton's move gracefully but was surprised by its timing. “We signed the contract with Lewis, and we opted for a shorter term… So, the events are not a surprise, but maybe the timing,” he said in a statement.

Since 2014, Mercedes has experienced a gradual departure of accomplished members, including Mike Elliot, who left the team last season after a decade of association, and James Vowles, who walked out for the role of team principal at Williams in early 2023.

While not in imminent decline, Mercedes' last two seasons have been subpar. The team finished the 2022 season third in the Constructors' Championship, with the one win at São Paulo marking their best result of the season. 

Their struggle with the radical 'zero-pods' design in 2023 resulted in a second-place finish, just three points ahead of Ferrari. The season, though, was disappointing, as the team failed to win for the first time since 2011.  

As their champion exits, Wolff eyes George Russell as a potential team leader. The prestigious Silver Arrows have a vacant seat, making this season a crucial battleground for Mercedes.

‘Hammer time’ for Hamilton

Hamilton's decision to switch to Ferrari after 11 years with Mercedes marks a pivotal moment in Formula 1's legacy. Having clinched seven championships with one of the fastest cars, Hamilton's move echoes his bold decisions in the past.

Having won his first title with McLaren in 2008, Hamilton announced in 2012 that he would be joining Mercedes in 2013, a move initially criticised but ultimately successful. 

Ferrari's longest dry spell has been a challenge that has bested even the most skilled competitors. For Hamilton, the task ahead is cut out. He will have to adjust to a new team, a new car, and a new pit stop. Entering his 17th season in the sport, Hamilton is no stranger to scrutiny, but the nature of it will undoubtedly take on a different dimension. 

The expectations of Ferrari supporters, the fervent tifosi, are known to be demanding even in the best of times. With a driver of Hamilton's calibre and experience, these expectations will soar to unprecedented heights. Adapting to the passionate and exacting world of Ferrari will be a test of its own.

The transition may not be as seamless for Hamilton as his longtime race engineer and right-hand man, Peter 'Bono' Bonnington, is unlikely to join him at Ferrari. Mercedes' non-poaching clause prevents any other teammate from leaving the team upon his departure. Consequently, Hamilton may find himself racing in 2025 without Bono by his side.

For the fans of Number 44, this development is as alarming as the 2021 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. Bono has been an integral part of Hamilton’s racing career, serving as the voice in his radio for a decade. In their 198 races together, Formula 1's most successful driver-engineer partnership achieved six world championship titles, 82 Grand Prix victories, 77 pole positions, 140 podiums, and 49 fastest laps.

As Bono's familiar voice resonated in Hamilton’s radio during the final laps, their catchphrase, "it’s hammer time," worked as a war cry. Now, with Hamilton poised to leave, the news hits Bono like an April Fool’s joke, albeit in February. The duo's separation marks the end of an era, leaving fans and Formula 1 enthusiasts to wonder how this change will shape Hamilton's future endeavours in the red of Scuderia Ferrari.

Ferrari catching the drift?

Enzo Ferrari's words, "Ask a child to draw a car, and certainly, he will draw it red," encapsulate F1's oldest and most successful team. Boasting 16 Constructors' crowns and 15 Drivers' titles, Ferrari aims for a resurgence in the 2025 season. 

But Ferrari has a mountain to scale. Once the most feared team, recent errors on the track have turned it into a subject of humour. Although finishing second in the Constructors' Championship last season fuels optimism, the team’s errors of epic proportions on the track have been equally difficult to ignore. 

The Scarlet team’s confusion has cost its drivers the crown. Ferrari’s last champion was Kimi Räikkönen, 17 years back. Beaten by Mercedes last season, Scuderia is desperate for a return to the top. 

With Charles Leclerc and Hamilton forming the best driver pairing on the grid, Ferrari looks to overcome past challenges. While Hamilton has nothing left to prove, a championship success at Ferrari could solidify his status as the greatest F1 driver of all time.

As the 2024 transfer deadline deal sets the stage for a historic opportunity, F1's unpredictability remains a constant. In the nearly 80 years since it came about, the sport has been about ever-changing moments marked by some of the most successful drivers and teams losing their edge. From Sebastian Vettel’s stint at Aston Martin to Daniel Ricciardo’s two years at Renault F1 team (now Alpine), the stories are far too many; the wins, not so much. 

Whether Hamilton's move to Ferrari will be a masterstroke or a twist in the sport's ever-evolving narrative is yet to be seen. In the words of James Allen, "We've got a lunatic on the track!"; this time, it might just be Hamilton in a Ferrari.