Sir Lewis Hamilton shocked the F1 world after announcing his Ferrari move. He will race for Mercedes for the last time this year. It will mark the ending of an epic collaboration between an F1 team and a driver. Very few team and driver partnerships have been this successful. Back in 2013, Toto Wolff and the great British racer joined the German team. Since then, the Brackley team revolutionized the F1 world. From 2014, Mercedes won eight consecutive constructor titles till 2021. During the turbo-hybrid era, Hamilton went on to win six Driver’s World Championships. Moreover, Lewis Hamilton helped Mercedes to become a powerhouse in Formula One.
When he joined the team, the status of the German team was nowhere near what it is now. Hence, parting ways with Lewis Hamilton won’t be an easy way to adjust for the former constructor champions. Toto Wolff may have started looking for a replacement for Hamilton. But who’s it going to be? There are a few options, like Fernando Alonso or Carlos Sainz. But the other way to look at the situation is if Hamilton will be equally successful with Ferrari like he was with Mercedes. That seems highly unlikely at the moment.
Can Lewis Hamilton Win Championships In Ferrari Uniform?
According to the beat writers of The Race, Hamilton replacing Sainz Jr. won’t be a big upgrade for the Italian team. Clearly, the Spaniard does not look like making a similar mark in the sport like the seven-time champion. Moreover, a racer like Lewis Hamilton comes once in a generation who transcends beyond the sport. On top of that, Hamilton is the most decorated driver in F1. It doesn’t seem likely that Carlos Sainz Jr. will ever have a legacy close to that of the great Briton. Moreover, the partnership between Ferrari and Hamilton is the collaboration between the most successful team and the racer. But at the end of the day, all comes down to the package of Ferrari.
Is it good enough to beat the Red Bull team’s package? If the car’s not right, what can a 40-year-old legend do to win titles? Mercedes did not have good packages for two years in a row. Lewis Hamilton remained winless. He’ll turn 40 when he’ll wear the iconic “Red uniform.” Hence, the question remains: Can Hamilton find the same passion he had during his McLaren and Mercedes days in his 40s? If not, then nothing will really change for neither Hamilton nor Ferrari. Moreover, The Race believes Hamilton, then, won’t be a big upgrade from the Spaniard.
Signing The Seven-Time Champion Is A Marketing Win For The Italian Team
Even today, when Max Verstappen dominates the grid, the most marketable F1 racer is still the seven-time champion. No other F1 racer is as followed on social media like Lewis Hamilton. He is still the face of the F1 Motorsport like Valentino Rossi was the face of MotoGP. Hence, after signing Hamilton, Ferrari is gradually again going to the top of the most marketable teams. That’s the best benefit Hamilton can provide the Italian team with.
But whether they can win titles together again is still a very big question. Only the package of the Ferrari car from 2026 with regulation changes can turn things around. Perhaps then Hamilton can use the car to his advantage. The seven-time champion knows how to win races and titles if he has the right car. Anyhow, beating Red Bull until 2025 looks like a bit far-fetched dream.
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