Eerie Similarity To 2003 Michael Schumacher Record Gives Ferrari Fans ‘Hopium’ of Double Title Win

Lewis Hamilton’s initial euphoria upon joining Ferrari came crashing down at the Australian GP, where his debut fell far short of expectations. However, history suggests that a slow start doesn’t necessarily spell doom for a Ferrari world champion.

Hamilton arrived at Maranello with high expectations. For both him and the team, anything less than a title win would be considered a failure—a pressure that comes with being part of the two most decorated names in F1 history.

Sadly, Ferrari’s car didn’t look championship-worthy in Melbourne. Hamilton finished P10, while teammate Charles Leclerc managed only P8, bringing home just five points for the Italian squad. Even Nico Hulkenberg’s Sauber — widely claimed to be the slowest car on the grid — finished ahead in seventh.

Still, some Ferrari fans remain hopeful. They refuse to be discouraged ahead of the next round in China and expect better results soon.

Analyst Daniel Valente, known for his statistical insights on X (formerly Twitter), pointed out an eerie parallel to the 2003 season. That year, McLaren’s David Coulthard won the season opener in Australia, while Ferrari also managed just five points in the race.

Coulthard’s victory also ended Michael Schumacher’s 896-day streak of leading the Drivers’ Championship—just as Max Verstappen’s 1,000+ day reign ended in Albert Park last Sunday. And although Ferrari didn’t win a race that year until the fourth round, Schumacher ended up winning the title. As did Ferrari.

So, is a Hamilton championship win actually in the cards? It is this ‘hopium’ that is keeping a portion of the Tifosi excited ahead of round two this weekend.

“That is some next level hopium you are giving me after this disaster weekend, keep it up,” a user wrote on X.

It’s not just good news for Ferrari fans. Another intriguing coincidence could also keep Verstappen fans, hoping for a fifth title this season, on the edge of their seats.

Are the stars aligned in Verstappen’s favor?

This might be a stretch, but Valente highlighted another intriguing statistic that could give Verstappen fans hope.

It turns out the Red Bull driver has finished less than a second behind the race winner in only two season openers—Bahrain 2021, where he trailed Lewis Hamilton by 0.745 seconds, and Australia 2025, where he was 0.895 seconds behind Lando Norris.

In 2021, Verstappen went on to claim his first-ever title in dramatic fashion, ending Hamilton’s dominant run. Coincidentally, the Mercedes driver was a championship favorite that year—just as Norris is in 2025.

So, can Verstappen defy expectations and guide his Red Bull to yet another title victory? Only time will tell. But Verstappen fans — just like Valente’s Ferrari followers — can only hope.

Those who believe in lucky coincidences will certainly be watching closely over the next 23 races to see how things unfold. If Verstappen secures the title this season, he will become only the fourth driver in history to win five or more championships—and just the second, after Schumacher, to claim five consecutively.