Lewis Hamilton at Ferrari is one of the storylines F1 fans will be eagerly following in 2025. There are, however, many who question the timing of the move. At 40, the Briton may not be as quick as he once was. However, Lando Norris believes the seven-time champion is out to prove critics wrong.
Norris may now be a competitor, but growing up, he saw Hamilton as one of his racing idols. That reverence leads him to defend the move. The McLaren driver went as far as claiming that he’d have done the same if he was in Hamilton’s shoes. Regardless, he sees the new Ferrari driver as just another driver he is keen on beating on the track.
At the same time, Norris is eager to see how Hamilton’s stint at Ferrari unfolds. The 25-year-old backs the #44 driver to regain the form he lost at Mercedes in the last three years. That, he believes would be an ‘amazing story’ for Hamilton.
“It’s an amazing story for him. And I know he’s going to want to go there with a fresh mindset and show everyone that he’s still got the Lewis Hamilton he showed, you know, for many, many years prior. So we’ll wait and see,” Norris said on This Morning show.
“When I grow up, I wanna be Lewis Hamilton” – Lando Norris, probably
— NPK (@_gugul3thu) February 12, 2025
Hamilton is currently putting in some hard work to acclimatize himself to the environment at Ferrari. At the same time, he is also putting in some miles in their previous cars to get used to the different setups the Italian outfit runs.
In that bid, the 40-year-old ended up crashing the SF-23, Ferrari’s 2023 F1 car. The team, however, wouldn’t mind that too much, as it is a testament to his willingness to push himself and the car as far as he can.
Hamilton and Norris in 2025 title contention?
Ferrari and McLaren turned out to be the prime contenders for the constructors’ championship in the latter half of 2024. The battle went right down to the wire with the Woking-based outfit inching ahead in the season finale in Abu Dhabi.
Ferrari’s dogged performance, however, proved that they had momentum on their side for the upcoming season. Hamilton could surely take advantage of it, provided he adapts to Ferrari’s systems as early as possible.
On top of it, the eighth title hunter needs to put behind himself his qualifying woes. Norris, on the other hand, will be keen on completing the unfinished task from 2024 — bagging an elusive Drivers’ title.
Like Hamilton, Norris too has a team that will carry the developmental momentum to the new season. If Max Verstappen fails to make a mark with a Red Bull team that seems to be in decline, Hamilton might just be the guy Norris needs to beat if he is to win the championship.
