While I am still relatively new to the world of Formula One, there are a few things I am absolutely sure of:
Charles Leclerc is my favorite driver. He drives under my favorite number (16), his birthday is my half birthday, of course he's my favorite.
Ferrari is my favorite team. They're Italian, and they're amazing.
Lewis Hamilton is a Formula One legend. I don't need to explain this one.
I have a lot to say about what is arguably the most surprising driver transfer ever in F1, so now that we've got that covered, let's dive in to the insanity that has been February 1, 2024.
Initial Reaction
In the ten years that Lewis Hamilton has been driving for Mercedes, he's won all but one of his seven world championships, amongst numerous race wins and constructor's championships as well. Just the other day, Mercedes was posting a celebration of Hamilton's ten years with them, so nothing could have possibly prepared me for what I woke up to this morning.
I woke up at 8 and was considering going back to sleep for an hour or so due to the fact that I was up kind of late last night (shout out to homework, no one likes you). I decided to look through my socials before I did that, and all thoughts of sleep immediately went out the window when all of a sudden I saw the words, "Hamilton to Ferrari is DONE."
WHAT?! Lewis Hamilton, the seven time world champion, the guy that won six World Drivers' Championships (WDC) with Mercedes, is leaving? Not only that, but he's signing to my favorite team?!
To be completely honest with you, it just sounded too good to be true. Ferrari has, to my dismay, been hard pressed for luck lately, minus a win in Singapore this past season, and you're telling me we managed to bag Lewis Hamilton? Someone pinch me. I must be dreaming.
At first, I was under the impression that these rumors started on purpose in order to take heat away from the FIA after it was announced that Andretti's bid to join the grid by 2026 was rejected. There was an outpouring of people who were extremely vocal regarding their disappointment and frustration in the verdict. In fact, I was so sure that this was an outlandish publicity stunt that I was checking the calendar to see if time had gone by so quickly that we'd already reached April Fool's Day.
Well, as of 2 p.m. EST, it was officially confirmed that Lewis Hamilton has signed a multi-year contract with Ferrari and will drive alongside Charles Leclerc starting in 2025.
Concerns, Contracts, and Challenges
Now, let me make one thing clear: If I could have chosen any two drivers on the grid right now to be my "dream team," it would be Leclerc and Hamilton without a second thought. They are both quick, consistent drivers that don't back down from challenges and I think that they both performed remarkably against the absolute force that was Max Verstappen and Red Bull in 2023. That being said, though, I do foresee some challenges with this pairing, and the biggest one is that of the WDC.
When we got Leclerc's contract announcement just last week, it was detailed that he's signed with Ferrari for an undisclosed amount of time (so, basically forever, and I'm fine with that). That confirmed to me that Ferrari is positioning him as their number one driver. A big reason as to why I've had a hard time really wrapping my head around this Hamilton-Ferrari news is because I can't see why Hamilton would go to a team as a number two driver. Leclerc's contract announcement, along with confirmation that Ferrari consulted with him on the design/specs of the SF-24 (the car Ferrari will be running this season), screams number one driver. So why would Hamilton take a seat with a team who has cemented another driver as their number one?
Just as I know Hamilton hungry for that 8th world championship, I know that Leclerc is equally as hungry, if not more, for his first. Circling back to that contract announcement, it seemed to me that Ferrari is ready to do what they need to do to catapult Leclerc into a championship win, no matter what. Hamilton joining the team will definitely cause some tension, regardless of what Ferrari plans to do. In F1, you are competing with everyone on the grid, especially your teammate. Only one driver can win a race; who will Ferrari put on the winning strategy? Their golden boy Charles Leclerc, or 7-time world champion Lewis Hamilton?
My immediate assumption is that they would back Leclerc, and in the situation where I'd have to choose, I would of course choose him, favoritism aside. Leclerc has been loyal to Ferrari throughout his whole life, and it's clear that he believes he can achieve more success for both himself and the team as a whole in the years to come. To have him win a championship with Ferrari would, in short, be the best thing ever. If I'm lucky, I'll be talking about it at the end of the year.
All we can do is wait and see, but at the end of the day, I am just so excited about this driver lineup that I'm practically bursting at the seams.
My Ideal Scenario (and maybe Ferrari's, too?)
Hamilton isn't moving to Ferrari until next year, so I think that this year is going to be the year that Ferrari finally locks in and does all they can to help Leclerc his first WDC win. While Carlos Sainz is still driving for Ferrari this season, he obviously isn't being retained and thus I would be shocked to my absolute core if he was prioritized over Leclerc. I think that 2024 is a prime time for Leclerc to really push for a WDC win- most of grid have contracts expiring this year, and are definitely going to feel the pressure to perform in order to keep their seats. My man Leclerc, however, won't be feeling that pressure. He will be able to securely race against others who don't have expiring contracts, including Hamilton, Verstappen, and both McLaren drivers, Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri. I have confidence that 2024 will be the year that Ferrari and Leclerc chase after that championship.
Then, we have Hamilton taking the second Ferrari seat in 2025 (have I mentioned how excited I am about this yet?). If everything goes the way it should and Leclerc has that championship title, I would expect the focus to then shift a little to getting Hamilton his eighth championship. A multi-year contract means he will race with Ferrari for at least two years, and with regulations changing in 2026 it would be a great time to go for it. That being said, Ferrari may continue to focus on Leclerc in 2025.
When it comes down to it, for me, it's all going to depend on the car. I know that Leclerc and Hamilton will push the car to its limits, it's only a matter of what the car can do for them.
Best case scenario for me (and hopefully Ferrari) is this: back to back WDC wins. Charles Leclerc wins his first WDC this year, and some time in the next two years, Lewis Hamilton wins his eighth WDC in Ferrari red. I couldn't conjure up a better comeback story if I tried.
Ferrari Will Cook!
No matter how much I speculate and daydream and assume, I am sadly forced to wait until next year to see what will come of Hamilton's shocking switch to Ferrari. Thanks to Ferrari chairman John Elkann, team principal Fred Vasseur, and all the other behind the scenes legends, I think it is fully possible for us Ferrari fans to set our sights on some championship wins in the coming years.
I just hope everyone else is ready for the absolute cooking masterclass that Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc are going to bring to Formula One together starting in 2025. Forza Ferrari!
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