F1 fans are finally going to witness one of the most historic partnerships this year as Lewis Hamilton gets set to drive for Ferrari. While several fans are excited to see how this partnership between one of the greatest teams in F1 history and a driver with the “greatest CV” turn out, some experts believe that the seven-time champion will enter the campaign as the “underdog“.
After The Race F1 podcast host Edd Straw described Hamilton as a driver who statistically has the “greatest CV“, one of the guests explained why not a lot will be expected of the 39-year-old at Ferrari simply because of how much he struggled to get to grips with the W15 last season.
“Lewis is coming in a little bit as the underdog,” Viaplay F1 commentator Nelson Valkenburg said. He felt that the root cause of this was that the W15 “really doesn’t work with the way he naturally likes to drive the car.”
While Hamilton may find it relatively easier to manage the handling of the Ferrari, which seems to have a better balance than Mercedes’ car, he still will need to get up to speed with Leclerc, who has been able to master the handling of Ferrari’s cars in the past couple of seasons.
A lot is at stake for Hamilton, Leclerc and Ferrari in 2025
While there must be an air of excitement and optimism in the Ferrari camp with Hamilton’s arrival, there will also be a sense of caution. Going into next season, there is a lot to prove for all the parties involved.
Leclerc will be eager to maintain his dominance within the team. He’s already dispatched a four-time world champion in the form of Sebastian Vettel (in 2019 and 2020). Since 2021, he’s more often than not had the upper hand on his former teammate Carlos Sainz as well.
Hamilton, on the other hand, will want to wash away the critics next season. The last three years have seen the seven-time world champion be called a ‘washed‘ driver. Therefore, winning his eighth title with a team like Ferrari could put all the question marks on his legacy at rest.
And for Ferrari themselves, they have a lot to prove as well. For starters, they need Hamilton to perform to justify their decision to sack a strong driver like Sainz. Moreover, after narrowly missing out (by 14 points) on the Constructors’ title to McLaren last year, they will be eager to get their hands on silverware for the first time since 2008.
