Why Ferrari instead of Mercedes?
By Hamilton’s own admission, this was the most difficult decision to make. And for good reason: with Mercedes, the driver with 103 Grand Prix wins (a record) pushed the limits of his discipline, winning six of his seven world titles from 2014 to 2020.
But after the disappointment of losing the title to Dutchman Max Verstappen (Red Bull) in 2021, the Briton has experienced the last two seasons without a victory, something that has never happened to him before. In question, a Mercedes that had difficulty adapting to the technical upheaval that came into effect at the start of the season.
And if the German team and Ferrari were almost equal in the championship last year, far behind the mighty Red Bull, the Italian seemed more in the game than his rival, especially in the second half of the season.
“Lewis needs to win back, maybe he’s telling himself that with Mercedes (…) he doesn’t have the answers to his expectations,” says Frank Montagni, a former F1 driver turned consultant for Canal+.
The Briton is expected to join the Scuderia’s ranks a year before the new technical regulations arrive, “and when you change teams, it takes a short year to adapt, so he’s potentially a very good choice”, defends Montagni. .
How did this surprising transfer happen?
In the very closed world of F1, details related to discussions between drivers and teams rarely filter through. If Hamilton’s case is no exception to the rule, the surprise announcement of his arrival at Ferrari on Thursday caught everyone by surprise, even his boss at Mercedes.
Knowing that Hamilton was accepted by others, Toto Wolff explained on Friday that he was more surprised by the “timing” than the decision, which he learned from his pilot on Wednesday morning.
During part of the 2023 season, rumors of Hamilton moving to Ferrari fueled talk in the paddock. But the extension Mercedes signed at the end of the summer ended months of speculation surrounding the driver’s future. In the shadows, the work seems to have continued.
At Maranello, the Scuderia’s historic headquarters, Hamilton will meet Frenchman Frédéric Vasseur, Ferrari’s “team principal”, with whom he worked in 2005 and 2006 in the lower categories of motorsport and who contributed to their arrival in F1 in 2007.
The relationship the two men still maintain today would play a key role in this change of direction for Hamilton: “They knew each other very well, +Fred+ being very close to his drivers,” recalls Frank Montagni.
How will Mercedes cope with the departure of its champion?
After his departure to Ferrari was confirmed, Hamilton assured that “he is 100% committed to achieving the best possible performance this season” with Mercedes.
A month before the start of the new season, on March 2 in Bahrain, Frank Montagni warns: “It will be good for them”. “If 2024 fails in terms of cars and new features, this departure will be difficult, on the other hand if the car is born well, George Russell (Hamilton’s current team-mate, editor’s note) will take the lead. Totally natural.
It remains to be seen who will replace its star driver at the end of the season. If some are already talking about the arrival of young Italian Andrea Kimi Antonelli, who has been promoted to Formula 2 this year, Thai Alexander Albon, currently at Williams, could claim the vacant seat.
What does the call on Hamilton mean for Ferrari?
Hamilton will replace Spaniard Carlos Sainz in the ranks of the legendary Prancing Horse team next year. He will be linked with Monegasque Charles Leclerc, 13 years his junior, who extended his contract with Ferrari “for several years” earlier this year.
If, for the moment, it is difficult to know which of the two will be considered the “number one” of the team, it is already certain that Ferrari will benefit from the incredible career of its new recruit.
“Maybe Ferrari needs a few new ideas, some new things that integrate the changes that +Fred+ Wasser is making” from his arrival in early 2023, believes Montagni.
Because, for the French technician, the objective is clear: to restore the letters of nobility to the most successful team in the history of F1, which has been waiting for the title in drivers since 2007 and in constructors since 2008.
As for Hamilton, it’s an eighth world title he’s eyeing, a performance that would see him surpass German Michael Schumacher in Formula 1 history… who worked for Ferrari from 1996 to 2006.
