Discussing where Lewis Hamilton is at in a 2024 mid-season review, Mika Hakkinen also gave his thoughts about the Briton’s imminent move from Mercedes to Ferrari for next season. The two-time F1 champion believes that Hamilton’s motivations for jumping ship to the Maranello-based outfit will determine whether the move will be successful or not.
In the ground effect regulations era since 2022, Mercedes significantly dropped the ball with their car’s concept. The effect of their mistake plagued their performance for two and half seasons, with the Brackley outfit being the third or fourth-fastest team in the pecking order.
Hakkinen explained that Hamilton may have lost faith in Mercedes’ potential to recover from their performance slump, which led him to decide to leave the team. However, if it was just an emotional decision, he stated that the 39-year-old may regret the move to Ferrari very soon.
The Finn explained on Unibet’s YouTube channel, “All the studies and all the homework that I have done – they are able to do a better job in the future than the current team. But, it cannot be just an emotional decision because then you are making a mistake. An emotional decision is a very short moment and the F1 season is pretty long!“
Lewis Hamilton to #Ferrari?
For me, it would be a big surprise. Because as you grow older as a #F1 driver other things of life also come into picture.
Of course Ferrari money could motivate him but there are other motivators too. Lewis is not thinking only about F1 anymore. pic.twitter.com/zw73QTX9aN
— Mika Häkkinen (@F1MikaHakkinen) June 14, 2023
Nevertheless, Hakkinen opines that Ferrari can provide Hamilton with a competitive car next season. The Scuderia have performed quite well in the ongoing 2024 campaign with three Grand Prix victories, despite experiencing a short-term period of struggles with the SF-24.
Their Italian GP upgrades bolstered the car’s performance with Charles Leclerc claiming his second win in Monza and second one of the season as well. Many of the upgrades on the SF-24 in Monza, were in fact fast-tracked from their 2025 concept. Hence, the Scuderia seems to be heading in the right direction with their car development.
However, the F1 grid has closed up a lot in terms of performance. Teams like McLaren and Mercedes have also made significant steps forward with their respective challengers this season. So, Ferrari cannot be complacent and rest on its laurels heading into the 2025 season.
As things stand, even in 2024, the constructors’ championship could become a three-way battle between Red Bull, McLaren, and Ferrari — with no surety of who may be better at which track.
